SANTIAGO, Chile – An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on Friday, prompting the evacuation of the Chilean coastline throughout the Magallanes region and the suspension of water activities and navigation in Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province.
No damage or casualties were initially reported.
The United States Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was under the ocean 219 kilometers (173 miles) south of the Argentine city of Ushuaia.
Chilean authorities issued an evacuation alert for the entire coastal section of the Strait of Magellan, in the far south of the country.
Due to a “tsunami alert, evacuation to a safe zone is being ordered for the coastal sectors of the Magallanes region,” Chile’s National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response said in a message sent to the public.
It also requested that all beach areas in the Chilean Antarctic territory be abandoned.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric wrote on X that “all resources are available” to respond to potential emergencies.
“We are calling for the evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region,” Boric wrote. “Right now, our duty is to be prepared and heed the authorities.”
In Punta Arenas, located in Chilean Patagonia and on the Strait of Magellan, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the streets quickly filled with residents searching for shelters, according to images broadcast on local television. Many of them were carrying bags.
The evacuation proceeded calmly and without panic. “We received the alert and we had to evacuate at work, but people are calm and well prepared,” Roberto Ramírez told the 24-hour channel.
The Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy, or SHOA, reported that waves could reach Antarctica as early as next hour, while it could take up to 12 hours to reach more remote locations.
In the Argentine city of Ushuaia, considered the world’s southernmost, local authorities suspended all types of water activities and navigation in the Beagle Channel for at least three hours. No material damage or evacuations were reported.
“The earthquake was felt primarily in the city of Ushuaia and, to a lesser extent, in towns across the province,” the local government reported. “In the face of these types of events, it is important to remain calm.”
AP
