Tsunami Alert Triggered in Chile by Magnitude 7.4 Quake Off Argentina’s Coast

According to the United States Geological Survey, a magitude 7.4 earthquake struck the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on May 2, reported AFP.

The earthquake hit the Drake Passage, between Cape Horn, on the southern tip of South America and Antarctica, at a depth of just 10 km (6 miles) at 9:58am local time (12:58 GMT), and was followed by several smaller aftershocks, reported BBC.

The US Geological Survey stated that its epicenter was 219 km (136 miles) from Ushuaia, Argentina – the world’s most southerly city.

AFP further reported that Chilean authorities issued a tsunami warning for the country's southernmost region.

Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service announced 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 residents 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.

According to BBC, more than 1,700 people moved to higher ground in the sparsely populated area including 1,000 from the town of Puerto Williams and 500 from Puerto Natales. Another 32 people also followed evacuation procedures in Antarctic’s research bases, cited BBC.

The waves will reach bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile's extreme south in the coming hours, predicted Chile's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA), according to AFP.

Why Earthquakes Hit Chile

Chile is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, as three tectonic plates — the Nazca, the South American and the Antarctic plates — converge within its territory, according to AFP. 

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, stated AFP.

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