Tsunami alert was issued from US Geological Survey, after quake hits island Chile
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred off the coast of southern Chile Sunday, 40 km (about 25 miles) southwest of Puerto Quellon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
According to initial reports, no casualties have been reported however around 4,000 people have been displaced from their homes yet from the region of Los Lagos.
Chile’s naval oceanographic service declared a preventative tsunami alert and officials began evacuating coastal areas in the southern part of the country, the Associated Press reported.
The affected area of Chile is well known for world tourism. Several roads and bridges have been damaged but looks appeared to be limited. The quake’s depth was about 34km, according to the United States Geographical Survey (USGS).
After the powerful jerks in coasted areas, the Chilean National Emergency Office of the Ministry of Interior and Public Security (ONEMI) said in a press conference had initially issued Tsunami alert and ordered the evacuation of coastal areas of Los Lagos region. Alerts report said “As a measure of precaution, we order the evacuation of coastal areas of Biobio, Araucania, Los Rios, Aysen.”
During the talk to effected resident who was leaving for the safe area, he said “I’ve lived for 10 years in the south and never felt something like that.”
Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet expressed his views on social media “Much strength and encouragement to the compatriots affected by the tremor in Chile and other areas in the south. Emergency procedures are already in place”
Chile had been the victim of earthquake multi-time in past, a much stronger magnitude 8.8 earthquake in February 2010 generated a tsunami and killed 524 people. The most recent earthquake recorded was of 8.3 magnitude hit the country in September last year, which killed about 13 residents dead and caused a million people to displace their houses.