According to news services, a magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early Saturday morning, about 50 miles from the city of Concepcion, sending shockwaves radiating out hundreds of miles and causing a tsunami that could be a threat to every country on the Pacific Ocean.

The quake registered a magnitude-7 on the Richter scale in the area of Graneros, Chile, where International Paper has a container plant and employs about 180 people, as well as several temporary employees. The plant was operating at the time of the earthquake, and no injuries or significant facility damage have been reported. However, because of widespread power outages and damage, there are many off-shift employees and family members that haven't yet been contacted or accounted for and we don't yet know the scope of damage to employees' homes. Efforts are underway to make contact with all plant employees.

Carmen Fernandez, director of Chile's National Emergency Agency, describes the earthquake as the strongest to hit the nation of Chile since the devastating quake of 1960, and is one of the strongest ever recorded. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has declared a state of catastrophe in central Chile, and it is estimated as many as 500,000 homes were severely damaged.

International Paper's Emergency Relief Fund is accepting contributions to be used to support immediate needs of employees and their families affected by this earthquake.