Countries along South America's Pacific coast issued tsunami warnings and called for people to evacuate their homes. Meanwhile, in Japan, the US and Russia, the threat of massive waves has largely passed.

Warnings in the first hours after the 8.8 magnitude quake sent residents fleeing to rooftops in Japan and forced tourists out of beachfront hotels in Hawaii, snarling island traffic.

A tsunami warning issued for Hawaii after one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, an 8.8 magnitude in Russia's Far East, was canceled after small waves peaked.