A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile in the Drake Passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica at a depth of just 10 km (6 miles) on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said, sparking evacuations due to a tsunami threat.
Chile’s SENAPRED disaster agency said there was no damage to critical infrastructure or people, but called for evacuations along the southern coast due to the risk of a tsunami.
“We’re calling to evacuate the coast in the whole region of Magallanes,” President Gabriel Boric said on X, adding that all of the state’s resources would be made available to deal with any impact.
At a press conference later in the day, Interior Minister Alvaro Elizalde said the evacuation alert for the region was being downgraded, but advised people to stay away from the beach and coastal regions.
Alicia Cebrian, director of SENAPRED, said an “instrumental tsunami” was recorded in the Prat Base in Antarctica, with a variation of 6 centimetres (2.3 inches) in sea level. She added that variations of up to 90 centimetres could be registered.
Videos on social media showed people calmly evacuating as sirens blared in the background. Photos showed parks and other evacuation points filled with students, workers and other residents throughout Chile’s remote southern region.
Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service estimated that waves will reach Antarctica first, followed by cities in Chile’s extreme south in the coming hours.
Chile’s Antarctic Institute told Reuters that bases were being evacuated. Before the evacuation order was downgraded, local authorities said approximately 2,000 people were evacuated.
