The United States Geological Survey reported a significant 7.4 earthquake in northern Chile on Thursday.
The tremor’s epicentre was 78.5 miles (126 kilometers) deep and 164 miles (265 kilometers) east of the coastal city of Antofagasta.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric tweeted, “A medium-intensity earthquake has just occurred with an epicenter near Antogasta. I have already contacted the Delegate of the region and so far there are no reports of injuries or major damage, but the teams are gathering information. We will be informing via @Senapred”, through his official ‘X’ handle.
Acaba de ocurrir un sismo de mediana intensidad con epicentro cercano a Antogasta. Ya me comuniqué con Delegada de la región y hasta el momento no hay reporte de heridos ni daños mayores, pero los equipos están recabando información. Estaremos informando vía @Senapred https://t.co/TCIl6hPVYa
— Gabriel Boric Font (@GabrielBoric) July 19, 2024
Chile is located on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, an arc of intense seismic activity that extends from Japan to Southeast Asia and throughout the Pacific basin.
In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami that wiped out entire villages in the country’s south and centre, killing approximately 520 people.
Chile, bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes mountain range to the east, is one of the world’s most seismically active countries.
The epicentre of Thursday’s earthquake was approximately 50 miles from Chile’s border with Argentina, and less than 20 miles from its border with Bolivia.
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