Tsunami closes Bundy beaches

Members of the Pacifique Boardriders Club had to call of a tournament at Nielson Park Beach today after a tsunami alert closed beaches along the Queensland coast, including Bundaberg.

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Chile earthquake and tsunami

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THREE beaches in the Bundaberg region were reopened this afternoon following earlier closures due to a tsunami alert.

Kelly's, Nielson Park and Moore Park beaches reopened to swimmers at 3.45pm, while Agnes Water and Elliott Heads remained closed.

The alert came in the wake of an 8.8 earthquake about 300km off the Chilean coast early this morning.

Emergency Management Queensland has issued alerts along the Queensland coast from St Lawrence to Point Danger, saying there was the chance of "minor inundation" on several areas including the Gold Coast.

Associate Professor Dale Dominey-Howes, the co-director of the Australian Tsunami Research Centre, said this was the largest earthquake to affect the Pacific "Ring of Fire" region in many years.

"The Australian Tsunami Warning System was activated and has clearly worked well," he said.