A tsunami warning was issued for Chile’s Magallanes region and the Chilean Antarctic Territory after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off Chile’s southern coast on Friday. Thousands of people were evacuated to higher ground, with over 1,700 moving to safer areas.
The earthquake, which occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, was centered near Ushuaia, Argentina, and triggered tsunami warnings in both countries. Residents were advised to act calmly and follow authorities’ instructions as evacuation procedures were put in place.
In Chile, more than 1,000 people from Puerto Williams and 500 from Puerto Natales relocated to higher ground, while 32 people in the country’s Antarctic research bases followed evacuation procedures. In Argentina, around 2,000 people were evacuated away from the coastline, primarily in Ushuaia, with other towns affected to a lesser extent.
Chile is prone to earthquakes due to its location where three tectonic plates converge. The US Geological Survey reported the epicenter of the earthquake was 219km from Ushuaia. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, but the situation remains under observation.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8dg32qmg7qo