Chile: Major Earthquake Rocks Antofagasta Region

Epicenter in Coastal Area, Residents Urged to Evacuate

Strong Tremors Leave at Least One Person Dead, Buildings Damaged

Antofagasta, Chile - A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 struck the northern Chilean region of Antofagasta on Thursday night, leaving at least one person dead and causing widespread damage to buildings.

According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the quake occurred at 21:50 local time (00:50 UTC on Friday) with its epicenter located approximately 30 kilometers west of the coastal town of Mejillones.

Tremors were felt as far away as the capital Santiago, nearly 1,000 kilometers to the south. The Chilean National Geological and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN) reported that the quake was followed by multiple aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 5.5 magnitude.