Santiago, Chile (AP) — An important
earthquake
A tremor measuring 7.4 in magnitude hit the South Atlantic Ocean between Chile and Argentina on Friday, leading to mass evacuations of coastal areas in sparsely inhabited regions of Chile over concerns about 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 installations and scientific outposts on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Chilean authorities canceled the alert later on Friday once they confirmed that no tsunami had occurred, enabling people to gradually return home despite officials still advising them to stay away from boardwalks and beaches.
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 always 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 seafloor 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 remote.
The American surveillance organization anticipated that the waves could rise as high as three meters. Meanwhile, the Chilean authorities projected that the initial impact would be at research stations in Antarctica before striking Chile’s most southerly naval base located in Puerto Williams. They also forecasted that on Saturday morning, these waves would start battering the coastline near the more populated area of Punta Arenas, which sits alongside the Strait of Magellan—a vital maritime route linking the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
Local news channels broadcast images of Punta Arenas’ inhabitants steadily heading towards shelters and elevated evacuation areas as alarms echoed in the background. Educational institutions in the area were shut down for the day.
Chile’s law enforcement agency similarly released video showing an officer assisting a man in a wheelchair by pushing him up a hill 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 by Chile’s Antarctic research stations.
Boric, hailing from the city of Punta Arenas, disrupted his regular 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 top earthquake-prone nations globally, has developed extensive readiness for quakes and resultant tsunamis triggered by the ongoing collision of tectonic plates beneath the Pacific Ocean’s floor.
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Associated Press writers Isabel DeBre and Débora 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
