7.1 magnitude earthquake hits central Chile, Tsunami warning issued
World
7.1 magnitude earthquake hits central Chile, Tsunami warning issued
A strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit central Chile on Sunday, driving panicked residents from their homes due to fears of a tsunami but causing no injuries or damage, officials said.Last February, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake caused tsunami waves that devastated coastal towns in the same area of the South American country, killing more than 500 people and damaging infrastructure across much of south-central Chile. The authorities said the possibility of a tsunami along the Pacific coastline had been ruled out and urged coastal residents who rushed to higher ground to return to their homes. The larger quake had been followed by a 5.0 magnitude aftershock. The US Geological Survey reported the quake as 7.1 magnitudes, slightly stronger than the 6.9 magnitude recorded by the seismology service at the University of Chile.
