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A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on Friday (May 2), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. No damage or casualties have been initially reported.
The quake struck Drake Passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica at a depth of 10km.
Chile’s disaster agency issued a state of precaution, an alert associated with a minor tsunami.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service said a coastal area of Magallanes region in the southern tip of the country should be evacuated due to the tsunami risk.
“We’re calling to evacuate the coast in the whole region of Magallanes,” President Gabriel Boric said on X, adding that all the states resources would be made available to deal with any impact.
Videos on social media showed people calmly evacuating as sirens blared in the background. Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service estimated that waves will reach bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile’s extreme south in the coming hours.
Chile’s Antarctic institute told Reuters that bases were being evacuated.
The USGS said the quake’s epicentre was under the ocean 219km south of the Argentinian city of Ushuaia.
Considered the world’s southernmost city, local authorities in Ushuaia reported no material damage or evacuations.
“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.”
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