World News

Magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocks northern Chile

By Allen Cone   |   Updated Jan. 20, 2019 at 3:16 PM
The northern coast of Chile was rocked by magnitude 6.7 earthquake late Saturday. Image courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey

Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit the coast of northern Chile.

The quake struck at 10:32 p.m. Saturday about 9.7 miles southwest of Coquimbo with a depth of 33 miles, according to the United States Geological Survey.

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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said "a destructive pacific-wide tsunami is not expected and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii."

The Star-Advertiser reported the quake didn't have the characteristics that would generate a tsunami, according to authorities in Chile.

Minor damage was reported to old buildings and power outages in the nearby coastal city of La Serena - a popular beach town about 250 miles north of Santiago.

Chile is located on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.

In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the south-central coast of Chile and ensuing tsunami killed 525 people.