Santiago, Chile (AP) — An important
earthquake
A tremor measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale hit the South Atlantic Ocean between Chile and Argentina on Friday, causing thousands in Chile’s thinly inhabited coastal areas to flee to elevated regions out of concern for potential tsunamis.
No damages or injuries were recorded following the quake that struck at 8:58 a.m. local time, accompanied by more than ten aftershocks.
Because of concerns that the earthquake might trigger a possible tsunami, the Chilean authorities ordered evacuations along the coast of the Strait of Magellan, located at the southernmost part of South America, as well as from the nation’s facilities and scientific outposts in Antarctica.
Chilean authorities canceled the alert later on Friday once they confirmed that no tsunami had occurred, permitting individuals to gradually return home despite officials still advising the public to avoid promenades and coastal areas.
Even though the state of emergency has been reduced… it remains crucial to stay attentive to official updates,
Chilean President Gabriel Boric
posted on social media platform X, “It’s invariably wiser to err on the side of caution in such instances.”
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake had a depth of only 10 kilometers (6 miles) beneath the ocean floor and occurred approximately 219 kilometers (173 miles) south of Ushuaia, Argentina’s southernmost city—which serves as the departure point for many Antarctic cruise expeditions. This location is known for being quite isolated.
The American surveillance organization anticipated that the waves could surge as high as three meters. According to the Chilean authorities, these waves were projected to initially strike research stations in Antarctica prior to hitting Chile’s most southerly naval base at Puerto Williams. On Saturday morning, they forecasted that the waves would then batter the coastline near the sizable town of Punta Arenas situated alongside the Strait of Magellan—a vital maritime route linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Local news channels showed scenes of residents in Punta Arenas steadily heading towards shelters and elevated evacuation areas as alarms echoed in the background. Educational institutions in the area remained closed for the day.
Chile’s law enforcement agency similarly released video showing an officer assisting a man in a wheelchair by pushing him uphill in the remote town of Puerto Williams.
Chile’s national disaster response agency, Senapred, stated that approximately 2,000 inhabitants were evacuated prior to downgrading the alerts. Additionally, 32 individuals adhered to protocols set forth by Chile’s Antarctic research stations.
Boric, hailing from the city of Punta Arenas, disrupted his usual schedule on Friday and convened an urgent committee meeting to tackle the earthquake situation. “All state resources are at our disposal,” he stated.
Chile, being among the most seismically active nations globally, has developed strong measures to prepare for earthquakes and resultant tsunamis caused by the ongoing collision of tectonic plates beneath the Pacific Ocean’s floor.
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Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre and Debora Rey from Buenos Aires contributed to this report.
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Check out AP’s reporting on Latin America and the Caribbean here.
https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Nayara Batschke, The Canadian Press
