EDITOR’S NOTE: For the latest on the Chilean quake and its aftermath, please click here: http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/fronts/HOME?SITE=WAPAN&SECTION=HOME
If the earthquake off the Chilean coast Saturday caused any swells on the coast of the North Olympic Peninsula, they were difficult to notice.
In response to the monster magnitude 8.8 quake, the National Weather Service issued a tsunami advisory saying swells of six inches or more were possible on the Washington coast.
When it rescinded the warning at 5 p.m., it announced that tidal fluctuations did not exceed six inches on the coast.
The Coast Guard also said the advisory passed without incident.
“We have no indications that anything has been related to the tsunami,” said Colin White, Coast Guard Sector Seattle public affairs officer, at about 6 p.m.
Advisory signs were placed at Fort Worden State Park, but park Ranger John Whittet said he wasn’t telling anyone to stay off the beach.
“Our main concerns were parallel currents to the beach . . . but I haven’t had anybody that’s been out in the water,” he said.
Relief efforts, donations
Both the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army were starting relief efforts in Chile this weekend, with the Red Cross pledging an initial $50,000 from the International Response Fund to assist in the efforts.
Port Angeles Salvation Army Pastor Darvin Jordan said the organization is taking donations to aid relief efforts in Chile.
Jordan said that checks made out to Salvation Army offices with “Chile” written in the memo line will be used to assist those efforts.
Donations can be mailed to the Port Angeles Salvation Army office at P.O. Box 2229, Port Angeles, 98362, or hand-delivered to the office at 206 S. Peabody St., in Port Angeles. Donations also can be made through the international organization’s Web site, www.salvationarmyusa.org.
For information, phone the Salvation Army at 360-452-7679
Donations to the Red Cross can be mailed to the Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the American Red Cross at P.O. Box 188, Carlsborg, WA 98324. They also can be made online at www.peninsularedcross.org or at the national organization Web site at www.redcross.org, or by phone, using a Visa or MasterCard, at 360-457-7933.
The State Department advises Americans seeking information on family and friends in Chile to contact the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 1-888-407-4747.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
