Santiago, Feb 27 (Inditop.com/RIA Novosti) The toll in a powerful earthquake which struck Chile Saturday has risen to 47, the country’s President Michelle Bachelet said.

The 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Latin American country at 1204 IST. The tremor occurred some 89 km north of Chile’s second largest city Concepcion.

Earlier, President Bachelet announced the toll was at least 16 while visiting the national disaster centre soon after the tragedy.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre put out a warning along the coast of Chile and Peru, and issued a tsunami watch for Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica.