Tsunami warning after 7.5-magnitude earthquake hits far-south Chile; evacuations on

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The earthquake struck between Cape Horn and Antarctica at a depth of just 10 km (6 miles) at 9:58am local time and was followed by several smaller aftershocks. Chilean authorities have also issued a tsunami warning for the country’s southernmost region, according to AFP.

Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service said that the coastal area of Magallanes region in the southern tip of the country should be evacuated due to the risk of a tsunami.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric urged the public to evacuate the Magallanes region’s coastline. “We call for evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region,” President Gabriel Boric posted on X after an alert from the SENAPRED emergency service, which also ordered evacuations in the nearby Antarctic areas.

Videos shared on social media showed people calmly evacuating as sirens blared in the background. Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) estimates that waves will reach bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile’s extreme south in the coming hours.

According to the BBC, local media in Chile is reporting that residents are being asked to evacuate to safe areas which are 30m above sea level as a precaution. In the Argentine city of Ushuaia, which is considered the world’s southernmost, local authorities 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 said, according AFP. “In the face of these types of events, it is important to remain calm.”

Situated at the southern tip of South America, the Magallanes region is Chile’s second largest but sparsely populated, and lies adjacent to Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego Province.

Chile prone to earthquakes
Chile is one of the countries most affected by earthquakes. Three tectonic plates converge within its territory: the Nazca, the South American, and the Antarctic plates. In 1960, the southern city of Valdivia was devastated by a magnitude 9.5 earthquake, considered the most powerful ever recorded, which killed 9,500 people, according to AFP.

In 2010, an 8.8 magnitude quake off the coast of central Chile, which triggered a tsunami, left more than 520 dead.