The absence of a tsunami warning led to significant loss of life, injury and destruction in coastal villages, and prompted a political blame game that has already led to one official resigning and another being fired.

"The fact that the warnings were not issued in an adequate manner justifies an inquiry," national prosecutor Sabas Chahuan said Tuesday on ADN radio station.

"It may be that there's no criminal liability or offense, but there could be negligence" that is punishable, he added.

"I'm preparing the opening of an inquiry," said Chahuan, adding he expected the investigation to get underway immediately.

The failure to issue a speedy tsunami alert after the February 27 quake struck at 0334 GMT has sparked a political firestorm in Chile, with the Navy admitting the following day that it had experienced a "diagnostic error."

It said the information it transmitted to the presidency via the Navy Oceanography Service (SHOA) was "very unclear," leading then-president Michelle Bachelet to conclude a tsunami alert was unnecessary.

Shortly afterwards, at least three huge waves struck the Chilean coastline, devastating a string of coastal villages that were unprepared for the disaster.

SHOA chief Mariano Rojas was fired from his post less than a week after the quake, while the head of Chile's emergency management agency Onemi, Carmen Fernandez, resigned March 10.

"We were blind and speechless" in the hours after the quake struck, she said ahead of her resignation. "We had a breakdown in communications and I acknowledge that."

At least 497 people died and many others went missing in the quake and ensuing tsunami, and the twin disasters caused an estimated 30 billion dollars in damage to infrastructure.

Newly inaugurated President Sebastian Pinera has already said he will tweak the country's budget to deal with reconstruction costs, but a government spokeswoman pledged Tuesday that Chileans would not face new taxes.

"Various alternatives are being studied to determine how to finance the reconstruction, but I can say with certainty that there will be no tax increases for either small and medium-sized businesses or individuals," said Ena Von Baer.

She added that the government was considering imposing a fee on companies seeking to develop natural resources in the country, including mining firms, but said no final decisions had been taken.

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