Strong quake rattles Chile

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of central Chile on Tuesday night, the US Geological Survey said, although there were no immediate reports of major damage.

The quake, centered 79km southwest of Coquimbo, was 32km below the seabed and struck at 9.33pm.

 

Chile's emergency office said some homes had been left without electricity. Local media reported rock falls on the highway following the quake, which was also felt in neighboring Argentina.

No other damage was reported, and the navy said the quake had not generated the conditions to cause a tsunami.

The Coquimbo area was hit by a magnitude 8.3 quake in September last year, which killed several people and caused a small tsunami, and it has been regularly affected by aftershocks since then.

Chile, located on the earthquake-prone Pacific Rim of Fire, is the site of the largest quake ever recorded: a massive magnitude 9.5 in 1960 that caused a huge tsunami in Japan.

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