LOS ANGELES (BNO NEWS) — U.S. authorities cancel the tsunami advisory for the coastal areas from the Oregon-California border to the Washington-British Columbia border.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

HONOLULU (BNO NEWS) — A tsunami warning for Hawaii was canceled after some 13 hours on Saturday, triggered by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the coast of Chile. The small tsunami that traveled the Pacific Ocean did not cause damage in Hawaii.

“Based on all available data there is no longer a destructive tsunami threat to the state of Hawaii,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement. “Therefore the tsunami warning for Hawaii is cancelled.”

However, the agency said the cancellation does not mean that its safe to reenter evacuated shoreline areas. “Some coastal areas in Hawaii may continue to experience small sea level changes and strong or unusual currents lasting for several more hours,” it said. “This tsunami warning cancellation does not mean it is now safe to resume normal activities or reenter evacuated shoreline areas.”

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

SANTIAGO, CHILE (BNO NEWS) — White House says its monitoring the situation in Chile, says it stands ready to help “in this hour of need.”

SANTIAGO, CHILE (BNO NEWS) — An extremely destructive earthquake struck near Concepcion, Chile on early Saturday, seismologists said, unleashing a massive tsunami that triggered tsunami warnings in dozens of countries throughout the Pacific. Hundreds of people are feared to have been killed, as authorities report major damage.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 8.8, was centered about 60 miles north-northwest of Chillan and 200 miles southwest of Santiago, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It struck at a depth of 21.7 miles at 03.34 a.m. local time.

A tsunami warning was immediately issued for the entire Pacific Ocean, even as far away as Japan, according to the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. A tsunami advisory was issued for the U.S. Pacific Coast, according to the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. More details on the tsunami threat can be found below.

The capital, Santiago, was without power and phone lines four hours after the earthquake. Reports say there are several buildings damaged in Greater Santiago. Santiago’s International Airport was closed and many flights were diverted to Mendoza in Argentina.

Chilean emergency services reported at least 78 people dead after the earthquake, but hundreds more are feared dead. Chilean state TV reported many injured. Bachelet said the government is working and trying to restore the communications.

As of 7.15 a.m. EST (12.15 GMT), the following regions were under a tsunami warning:

Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Pitcairn, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Fr. Plynesia, Mexico, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, Niue, New Zealand, Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Jarvis Islands, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Fiji, Australia, Hawaii, Palmyra Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Howland-Baker, New Caledonia, Johnston Islands, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Midway Islands, Kosrae, Papua New Guinea, Pohnpei, Wake Islands, Chuuk, Russia, Marcus Islands, Indonesia, N. Marianas, Guam, Yap, Belau, Japan, Philippines, Chinese Taipei.

If you are in one of those countries and are near the coast, you are advised to evacuate immediately and go to higher ground.

“Sea level readings confirm that a tsunami has been generated which could cause widespread damage,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Readings have confirmed a tsunami of 1.84 meter (6.1 feet) in the ocean off Talcahuano, but unconfirmed reports say the actual height may be as high as more than 40 meters.

The massive earthquake was also followed by a series of aftershocks, which may continue for weeks or even months. The strongest aftershock was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake, which struck 130 miles of Concepcion around 3.01 a.m. local time.

Other aftershocks had magnitudes of 6.2, 6.0, 5.4, 5.6, 6.0, 5.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 5.6, 5.0, 5.3, 5.6, 5.1, 5.8, 5.9, 5.9 and 5.4.

The 2010 Chile earthquake is the second largest quake in the past 20 years, behind the 2004 Indian Ocean 9.1-magnitude quake.

SANTIAGO, CHILE (BNO NEWS) — An extremely destructive earthquake struck near Concepcion, Chile on early Saturday, seismologists said, possibly killing hundreds of people. Dozens of countries remain under a tsunami warning.

The earthquake, which had a magnitude of 8.8, was centered about 60 miles north-northwest of Chillan and 200 miles southwest of Santiago, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It struck at a depth of 21.7 miles at 03.34 a.m. local time.

A tsunami warning was immediately issued for the entire Pacific Ocean, even as far away as Japan, according to the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. A tsunami advisory was issued for the U.S. Pacific Coast, according to the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center. More details on the tsunami threat can be found below.

The capital, Santiago, was without power and phone lines four hours after the earthquake. Reports say there are several buildings damaged in Greater Santiago. Santiago’s International Airport was closed and many flights were diverted to Mendoza in Argentina.

Chilean emergency services reported at least 78 people dead after the earthquake, but hundreds more are feared dead. Chilean state TV reported many injured. Bachelet said the government is working and trying to restore the communications.

As of 7.15 a.m. EST (12.15 GMT), the following regions were under a tsunami warning:

Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Pitcairn, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Fr. Plynesia, Mexico, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, Niue, New Zealand, Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Jarvis Islands, Wallis-Futuna, Tokelau, Fiji, Australia, Hawaii, Palmyra Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Howland-Baker, New Caledonia, Johnston Islands, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Midway Islands, Kosrae, Papua New Guinea, Pohnpei, Wake Islands, Chuuk, Russia, Marcus Islands, Indonesia, N. Marianas, Guam, Yap, Belau, Japan, Philippines, Chinese Taipei.

If you are in one of those countries and are near the coast, you are advised to evacuate immediately and go to higher ground.

The massive earthquake was also followed by a series of aftershocks, which may continue for weeks or even months. The strongest aftershock was a magnitude 6.9 earthquake, which struck 130 miles of Concepcion around 3.01 a.m. local time.

Other aftershocks had magnitudes of 6.2, 6.0, 5.4, 5.6, 6.0, 5.4, 5.2, 5.5, 6.1, 5.6, 5.0, 5.3, 5.6, 5.1, 5.8, 5.9 and 5.9.

The 2010 Chile earthquake is the second largest quake in the past 20 years, behind the 2004 Indian Ocean 9.1-magnitude quake.

HONOLULU, HAWAII (BNO NEWS) – The FBI announced on Friday that legal communities in Honolulu should be on alert for fraud schemes.

Recent scams have begun with possible clients contacting firms, sending a cashier’s check for a legal fee retainer that exceeds industry standards, as they seek legal representation in a civil law matter, such as a divorce.

Once the firm has informed the client of overpaying the retainer, the client requests a wire transfer refund to a foreign account, but it is later learned that the cashier’s check retainer is counterfeit, sustaining a loss in the amount of the refund.

The foreign bank accounts have been in South Korea, Taiwan, and Canada, which are suspected “relay accounts”, where the money is kept initially before moving onward to other locations.

These type of schemes have been encountered before by the FBI upon individuals selling items on CraigsList website.

Law firms and other professional service providers are cautioned to be on high alert when dealing with individuals through the internet, and wire transfers should be sent as refunds only when the initial payment has been fully cleared.

Over the past six weeks, the FBI has received reports of six different Honolulu law firms targeted in schemes that surpassed $500,000 in total losses.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

HONOLULU (BNO NEWS) — A Honolulu Circuit Court judge on Friday convicted a babysitter of second-degree murder in the death of a 23-month-old toddler who died when he was thrown from a freeway overpass in January 2008.

Circuit Judge Dexter Del Rosario said Matthew Higa “intentionally and knowingly caused the death of Cyrus Belt.” Higa was dressed in a blue/yellow aloha shirt as he heard his conviction, shortly after 3.30 p.m. local time.

The mother of the murdered baby, Nancy Chanco, cried as she left the courtroom, moments after the conviction.

Higa’s attorney, Randall Oyama, argued that Belt was already dead when Higa intentionally dropped him from the overpass and suggested that the boyfriend of Belt’s mother might have been responsible for the boy’s death. The deputy medical examiner, however, said that the fall killed the child.

A date for his sentencing was not immediately set, but Higa may face life in prison with the possibility of parole.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)

HONOLULU (BNO NEWS) — Conservative radio talk host Rush Limbaugh is in “good and stable condition” after being hospitalized a day earlier, the guest host of his radio show said on Thursday.

“Rush continues to rest very comfortably in a hospital in Honolulu this afternoon,” said guest host Walter Williams in a transcript released by his representative.

Limbaugh was taken to Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu on Wednesday after he suffered from chest pains at his hotel, the Kahala Hotel and Resort. “Those pains are the kind of pains that makes one feel like there’s a heart attack coming on, but that’s not been confirmed, that it was a heart attack,” Williams told the audience of “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” Limbaugh is expected to receive a full examination later on Thursday.

“He has had a comfortable nights’ rest and is getting good medical attention,” Williams said.

“Know this, though, Rush is in good and stable condition, comfortable – as comfortable as one can be in a hospital while on vacation – and in very good hands,” Williams concluded.

The Hawaii Republican Party earlier said they wished him a speedy recovery, and a spokeswoman said she hoped he would be back soon to celebrate the new year with his family.

HONOLULU (BNO NEWS) — Conservative radio talk host Rush Limbaugh was rushed to a Honolulu hospital on Wednesday afternoon, according to local television reports.

Unidentified sources told KITV that Limbaugh suffered from chest pains at his hotel and was transported to a local hospital. The report said paramedics responded to the call at 2:41 p.m. local time at the Kahala Hotel and Resort.

The manager of the hotel told BNO News that he was not aware of any patient being transported to a hospital from his hotel.

HONOLULU, HAWAII (BNO NEWS) — Report: U.S. radio host Rush Limbaugh rushed to Honolulu hospital.