Image sourced from FoxNews.com

Today another horrible story is being told.

It s being reported that a massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 has hit central CHILE in the early hours of this morning killing at least 147 people, with the toll continuing to rise.

The earthquake has said to have caused much damage including destroying bridges, roads and buildings.

BBC reported that “President Michelle Bachelet declared a “state of catastrophe” in affected areas and appealed for calm.”

A tsunami warning has been issued in Pacific countries from Japan to New Zealand.

This is the report that the BBC made earlier this afternoon:

The earthquake struck at 0634 GMT, 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital Santiago. It is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Local journalists in the region of Maule said 85 had died there.

Deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O’Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.

National television said it estimated that at least 150 people had been killed.

Television pictures showed a major bridge at Concepcion had collapsed into the Biobio river.

Rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach Concepcion because of damage to infrastructure, national television reported.

One journalist speaking to Chilean national television from the city of Temuco, 600km south of Santiago, said many people there had left their homes, determined to spend the rest of the night outside. Some people on the streets were in tears.

Chile is highly vulnerable to earthquakes as it is situated on the Pacific “Rim of Fire”, on the edge of the Pacific and South American plates.

Here is a clip from FOX NEWS about the earthquake aired earlier this morning: