Tsunami threatens the Pacific

Tsunami warnings were posted around the Pacific, including the US state of Hawaii, Japan and Russia following Saturday's massive earthquake of 8.8 magnitude that struck the Chilean coast early in the morning.

The quake is one of the world’s most powerful in a century, according to experts.

More than 300 people were reported killed as the powerful quake toppled buildings and triggered tsunamis that ravaged a port town and threatened Pacific coastlines as far away as Japan, according to a Reuters report.

Chile’s capital of Santiago, about 200 miles (320 km) north of the epicenter, was badly hit.

The international airport was closed for at least 24 hours as the quake destroyed passenger walkways and shook glass out of doors and windows, Reuters reported.

Deadly Tsunami Sweeps South Pacific Islands, Quake Rocks Sumatra

A series of tsunamis slammed the Pacific island nations of American and Western Samoa on Wednesday following a major earthquake that struck near the Solomon Islands.

Reuters reported that more than 100 people are believed killed, some washed out to sea. Villages were destroyed with hundreds injured.

Almost the same day, an earthquake struck off the Indonesian city of Padang on the coast of Sumatra island, damaging houses, bringing down bridges and starting fires, according to witnesses.

In Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur, thousands of people were evacuated from high-rise buildings after tremors hit, following the Indonesia quake measuring a magnitude of 7.6.