World

7.4-magnitude earthquake hits northern Chile

Published on

July 19, 2024

The epicenter of the earthquake

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has struck northern Chile, causing rockslides and damage in nearby towns, seismologists and residents say. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The earthquake, which struck at 9:50 p.m. on Thursday, was centered near San Pedro de Atacama, a town roughly 165 miles (265 km) east of Antofagasta. The area is close to the border with Argentina and Bolivia.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor measured 7.4 and struck about 72 miles (117 km) below the surface, making it a relatively deep earthquake. Chile’s seismological agency put the magnitude slightly lower, at 7.3.

“It felt very strong and lasted long,” one resident in the region told EMSC.

Chile’s national disaster prevention and response service SENAPRED said some damage had been reported, mainly in the commune of San Pedro, which was also affected by a total power outage. Some roads were affected by rockslides.

“There are no reports of injuries or accidents at the moment,” President Gabriel Boric said.

Chile is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin which is prone to earthquakes. A 9.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of central Chile in May 1960, killing thousands of people. It was the largest earthquake ever recorded.