An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 on the Richter scale struck Antofagasta in Chile on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property after the earthquake. The temblor happened at 9:50 p.m. Chile timeThe temblor happened at 9:50 pm (Chile time).
The epicentre of the earthquake was located about 50 miles from Chile's border with Argentina, and less than 20 miles from its border with Bolivia. It was located 164 miles (265 kilometers) east of the coastal city of Antofagasta, at a depth of 78.5 miles (126 kilometers).
As per news agency AFP, no tsunami warning has been issued so far. Chilean President Gabriel Boric also said there were no casulaty due to the quake.
"I have already communicated with the regional Delegate and so far there are no reports of major damage but teams are gathering information," Boric said in a post on X.
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes mountain range to the east, Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. It is situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude quake unleashed a tsunami that swept away entire villages in the south and centre of the country, leaving about 520 people dead. According to the Geoscience Network, that Thursday's earthquake was the most intense to strike Chile since 2016, when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the south of the country.