A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
Chilean authorities issued an evacuation alert for the entire coastal section of the Strait of Magellan, in the far south of the country.
A tsunami warning was issued for coastal areas within 185 miles of the epicenter, with the U.S. National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center saying a series of hazardous waves was possible.
“We call for evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region,” Chile’s President Gabriel Boric posted on social media after an emergency service alert, which also ordered evacuations in the nearby Antarctic areas.
Boric said “all resources are available” to respond. “Right now, our duty is to be prepared and heed the authorities,” he wrote.
Social media videos showed people calmly evacuating as sirens blared in the background, Reuters reported.
The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was under the ocean 219 kilometers (173 miles) south of the Argentinian city of Ushuaia, in the Drake Passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica.
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In Ushuaia, considered the world’s southernmost city, local authorities suspended all types of water activities and navigation in the Beagle Channel for at least three hours. No damage was reported.
“The earthquake was felt primarily in the city of Ushuaia and, to a lesser extent, in towns across the province,” the local government reported. “In the face of these types of events, it is important to remain calm.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.