A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.3 hit near San Pedro de Atacama in Chile on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter Scale occurred today at 07:20 IST in Chile-Argentina Border Region: National Center for Seismology pic.twitter.com/gf5xSyI3Ny
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024
The agency reported that the quake occurred 41 km southeast of San Pedro de Atacama at a depth of 128 km.
Chile: Most Earthquake Prone Countries
Chile is highly susceptible to earthquakes as it lies on the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone known for frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
The country has experienced some of the most powerful earthquakes on record, including a 9.5 magnitude quake in Valdivia in 1960. In 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsunami claimed over 500 lives.