Australians Ignore Warnings As Tsunami Nears

Apparently Australians are not taking the recent tsunami warnings to seriously:

BEACHGOERS have ignored official warnings of a tsunami hitting Australia’s east coast after a devastating underwater earthquake struck Chile.

The 8.8 magnitude quake struck near Chile’s central coast at about 5.43pm (AEDT), toppling buildings and killing at least 147 people.

The ocean quake has triggered tsunami warnings as far off as Australia, with the possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding hitting coastal areas.

In French Polynesia, huge waves have struck the Gambier archipelago, the high commissioner’s office in Papeete said, as the tsunami races across the Pacific.

The Marquesas islands, northeast of Polynesia, were hit by a series of two-metre waves that damaged some boats but no one was hurt, officials said.

A four-metre wave hit Hiva Oa in the Marquesas, officials said.

Back in Australia, swimmers and surfers at Bondi Beach have treated this morning like any other even though effects of the tsunami are due to hit the NSW coast from 8.45am (AEDT) today.

Live cameras at Bondi show lifesavers have since ushered people out of the water.

The State Emergency Service (SES) has issued official warnings for people to stay away from the state’s coastal areas.

“Do not go to the coast to watch the tsunami, as there is the possibility of dangerous, localised flooding of the immediate foreshore,” the SES warning states.  [News.com.au]