Chile’s Northern Region Affected by 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake occurred in northern Chile on Friday, causing some infrastructure damage and leading to power outages affecting over 20,000 people. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck at 1:15 p.m. local time (5:15 p.m. GMT) at a depth of 76 kilometers (47 miles), with its epicenter located near the coast of the Atacama Desert. The tremor was felt across several communities in the Atacama Desert region. There were no immediate reports of any casualties. Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service stated the earthquake did not meet the requirements to generate a tsunami along the South American coast. Officials confirmed the powerful earthquake resulted in ‘minor’ infrastructure damage and caused power disruptions, leaving almost 23,000 people without electricity.