A 6.3 magnitude earthquake was recorded on Friday afternoon in central Chile, causing fear in the population, but without reports of major damage, according to preliminary official information..
According to a report from the National Seismological Center, the earthquake was felt at 8:58 p.m. local time and had a magnitude of 6.3.
The epicenter was located 52 km southeast of the city of Curicó, about 190 km south of Santiago.
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The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senaprev) established the area affected by this earthquake at almost a thousand km, between the regions of Coquimbo, in the north, and the Biobío region, in the south of the country.
No major alterations were reported in the epicenter or in other places in the country.
In Santiago, there were scenes of fear among the population, according to local media, but no cuts in basic services had been reported.
Chile one of the most seismic countries in the world. Three tectonic plates converge in its territory: Nazca, the South American and the Antarctic.
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In 1960, the city of Valdivia (south) was devastated by a magnitude 9.5 earthquake, considered the most powerful ever recorded, which killed 9,500 people.
In 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami left more than 520 dead.
Although frequent, most earthquakes in Chile usually leave minor damage to the country’s buildings.
One reason is its strict construction standards, which require building materials to withstand movement without structural damage in moderate tremors and to prevent immediate collapse in the event of a severe one.
LDAV