<br/>In Chile, the death toll due to devastating earthquake has risen to 214. This is the largest earthquakes ever recorded which tore apart houses, bridges and highways in central part of the country and sent a tsunami warning halfway around the world. According to Interior Minister Edmundo Perez Yoma about 1.5 million homes suffered at least some damage.<br/><br/>The earthquake with the magnitude of 8.8 on Richter scale was felt as far away as Sao Paulo in Brazil – 2,900 kilometers to the east. President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in central Chile but said the government has not asked for assistance from other countries. Santiago's airport was closed, with smashed windows, partially collapsed ceilings and destroyed pedestrian walkways in the passenger terminals.<br/><br/>Chile's main seaport, in Valparaiso about 120 kilometers from Santiago, was closed. The state-run Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, shut two of its mines, the newspaper La Tercera reported.<br/><br/>President Barack Obama called his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet to express condolence in the aftermath of the massive earthquake in the country. He saidthat US is ready to provide assistance in relief efforts.<br/><br/>The 8.8 quake caused widespread damage, destroying buildings, bridges and roads in many areas, including the capital where a chemical plant caught fire. Electricity, water and phone lines have been cut. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be affected. Several Pacific countries were hit by waves higher than usual after a tsunami was set off by the quake. The earthquake struck at 0634HRS GMT, 115km 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. At least 85 people died in the region of Maule alone. Many deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O'Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.<br/><br/>Following the massive earthquake that hit Chile and triggered a Tsunami the UN is monitoring the Pacific Rim, the region comprising the countries located around the edge of the vast ocean.<br/><br/>UN spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, said in a statement, that the Secretary-General is very closely monitoring developments, including the risk of Pacific Rim tsunamis.<br/><br/>Japan and Russia went on alert today as a tsunami triggered by Chile's massive killer quake powered across the Pacific. Thousands of people have been cleared out of vulnerable coastal areas. Tsunami warnings were lifted in other nations across the<br/><br/>Pacific Basin's Ring of Fire as fears of destructive waves eased. But Tokyo and Moscow were taking no chances after one of the biggest earthquakes on record. <br/><br/>Waves pummeled Chile and rolled through into Hawaii, French Polynesia and the South Pacific as the tsunami moved at jet-speed across the vast ocean after yesterday's 8.8-magnitude quake, which left over 200 people dead.<br/><br/>Japan has warned that waves of up to three meters could hit its northern Pacific coastline, ordering more than 50,000 people living near the shore to leave and closing ports. Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama has set up an emergency task force. Japan Meteorological Agency official Yasuo Sekita said, the agency will keep the tsunami alert for quite a long time.<br/><br/>Russia issued a similar warning and launched an evacuation in its Pacific peninsula of Kamchatka. Sakhalin Island’s tsunami centre chief said, they are expecting waves of up to two meters, which is a dangerous height, and so people are asked to evacuate from dangerous zones.<br/><br/>Thousands of families in the Philippines also fled coastal areas. <br/><br/>The Hawaii centre, set up by Pacific governments after the 1960 tsunami, had warned of possible widespread damage from waves as high as three meters.