Chile earthquake: L.A. County fire officials expect waves from Chile quake to top at 3 feet; no warning to be issued

Feb. 27, 2010 12:41 PM PT

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Despite the tsunami advisory issued for the California coast as a result of the 8.8 earthquake in Chile, Los Angeles County fire officials said they were not warning people to stay off beaches because they did not expect waves to rise more than 3 feet.

But National Weather Service meteorologists said harbors could see a little bit more turbulence.

“There’s just a heightened awareness right now,” said Ron Corpus, an ocean lifeguard specialist in Hermosa Beach. “We’re making sure engine bays are open, and staging equipment if we need to evacuate people.”

Corpus said the largest wave fluctuations were expected on south-facing beaches such as Malibu, but that even those weren’t expected to reach dangerous levels. He said the rise in tides was supposed to reach La Jolla just before noon and that authorities there would warn L.A. County fire officials if there were reason to take drastic action. Corpus said that as of about 9:30 a.m., surf conditions were not good, at least in Hermosa Beach, because of the winter storm.

“They’re very stormy, very choppy, like a washing machine,” he said.
Continue reading L.A. County fire officials expect waves from Chile quake to top at 3 feet; no warning to be issued on L.A. Now.

-- Hector Becerra

Graphic: The map shows estimated arrival times Saturday of the minor tsunami, according to predictions issued by the National Weather Service. Credit: Rong-Gong Lin II / Los Angeles Times

La Plaza

Hector Becerra

Hector Becerra is managing editor of the Los Angeles Times. A native Angeleno who grew up in Boyle Heights, Becerra’s first foray into journalism was as the editor of the University Times at Cal State Los Angeles. He started his career at the Los Angeles Times in 1999 and was a general assignment reporter until 2014, covering everything from wildfires to crime to Latino cultural trends. He has been among the first to a murder scene as part of a ride-along in South L.A. and has tried his hand as a field worker, picking strawberries in Santa Maria. Becerra was part of the team of reporters that won the Pulitzer Prize’s Public Service award for its coverage of the city of Bell corruption scandal. He was city editor for the California section until 2022, when he was promoted to deputy managing editor. He was named managing editor in 2024.