A 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Northern Chile, No Casualties Reported

By Staff, Agencies

A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck northern Chile on Friday afternoon, shaking several communities in the Atacama Desert but causing no reported casualties.

According to the US Geological Survey [USGS] reported the quake hit at 1:15 p.m. local time [5:15 p.m. GMT] at a depth of 76 kilometers [47 miles], with its epicenter near the desert coastline.

The tremor led to minor infrastructure damage and power outages affecting nearly 23,000 residents. Miguel Ortiz, deputy director of Chile’s disaster response agency Senapred, reported some small landslides, which are currently being addressed with local authorities.

Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service confirmed the quake did not pose any tsunami threat to the South American coast.

President Gabriel Boric assured the public on X [formerly Twitter] that his administration was in touch with regional officials and reiterated that no injuries or fatalities had been recorded.