A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck northern Chile on Friday, resulting in minor infrastructure damage and leaving over 20,000 residents without power. Authorities confirmed that there were no reported injuries from the tremor.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake occurred at 1:15 PM local time (5:15 PM GMT) at a depth of 76 kilometers (47 miles), with its epicenter located near the coast of the Atacama Desert.
While many residents in the vast Atacama Desert region felt the quake, preliminary reports indicated no immediate injuries.
The Chilean Hydrographic and Oceanographic Office noted that the earthquake’s characteristics did not meet the criteria for triggering a tsunami along the South American coast.
Miguel Ortiz, Deputy Director of Chile’s National Disaster Response Agency (ONEMI), stated that the earthquake caused “minor” damage to infrastructure and power outages, affecting approximately 23,000 people.
He added, “There have been some minor landslides, which are being monitored in coordination with local municipalities.”
Chilean President Gabriel Boric posted on social media that his government is in contact with the regional presidential delegate, emphasizing that “no injuries have been reported.