Officials fear a huge tsunami could be heading for Chile after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Argentina.
The warning came after the quake struck around 200km (124miles) south of Puerto Williams, near Chile’s southern tip, at 9am local time. According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake struck at a depth of 10km, with four more smaller aftershocks being recorded in the region shortly after.
The US’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that Chile risks facing tsunami waves that could be up to 9ft tall, while Antarctica faces potential waves of up to 3ft.
Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) estimated that waves will reach bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile’s extreme south in the coming hours.
Chilean disaster authorities said the coastal area of the Magallanes Region in Southern Chile would have to be evacuated due to the tsunami risk. Video footage from the region showed civilians slowly making their way out of the danger zone.
Another clip, this time taken from the city of Punta Arenas, showed scores of people evacuating the city, alongside dozens of cars that were speeding out of the region.
National threat evaluation systems said that tsunami waves from this quake may appear within 300km (186miles) of the epicentre, seemingly putting the Falkland Islands out of harm’s way.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response System, SENAPRED, added that it will ‘continue to assess the impact on people and damage to infrastructure and basic services’.
It also reminded Chileans: ‘Don’t forget to consider your pet and its needs.’
Chileans can be seen making their way out of the region
National agencies have told Chileans to evacuate the area
Footage from Punta Arenas showed scores of people evacuating the city
The warning came after the quake struck around 200km (124miles) south of Puerto Williams, near Chile’s southern tip (File image of Puerto Williams)
File photo shows a glacier in the Beagle Channel in southern Magallanes and Antarctica region
The warning came after the quake struck around 200km (124miles) south of Puerto Williams, near Chile’s southern tip, at 9am local time
The country’s president Gabriel Boric, a native of the area, wrote on his X account that: ‘We call for the evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes Region.’
‘Right now, our duty is to prevent and heed the authorities. Regional and national COGRID are just getting started. All state resources are available,’ he added.
The Interior Ministry reported that both its minister, Álvaro Elizalde, and his undersecretary, Víctor Ramos, are headed to SENAPRED offices.
The Magallanes region, where the quake struck, is Chile’s largest and southernmost and one of its least populated. According to government figures, in 2017, the population totalled about 166,000 people.
Chile was devastated by the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in 1960, recording a magnitude of 9.5.
Between 1,000 and 6,000 people were killed in the quake and resulting tsunamis, which swept across the Pacific Ocean, affecting countries as far away as Japan, the Philippines and Australia.
Waves reached heights of 35ft (10.7m) as they crashed into Hilo, Hawaii, more than 6,200 miles from the epicentre at Lumaco.
Fifty years later, the country was hit by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunamis, with intense shaking lasting some three minutes.
Tremors from the quake were felt in Peru, some 1,500 miles away.
A subsequent tsunami devastated coastal towns in south-central Chile. Some 9 per cent of residents in affected areas lost their homes.
At least 525 people were killed and more than two dozen went missing.
Chile lies on the boundary of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, leaving it vulnerable to hard-hitting tremors.
