---
title: "Central Chile hit by 7.1-magnitude quake: USGS"
description: "A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake rattled central Chile on Monday, US geologists said."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "AFP"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/afp/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-04-25-central-chile-hit-by-7-1-magnitude-quake-usgs/"
published: "2017-04-25T01:07:51"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 131
---

# Central Chile hit by 7.1-magnitude quake: USGS

> A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake rattled central Chile on Monday, US geologists said.

By AFP · Published 25 April 2017, 03:07 SAST

## Content

The quake, which struck at 6:30 pm (2130 GMT), was centered off the coast of the resort city of Valparaiso and had a depth of 9.8 kilometers (about six miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

Authorities urged residents to evacuate coastal areas as a precaution against a possible tsunami.

Chile lies on what is known as the "Ring of Fire" -- an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The north of the country was struck by an 8.3-magnitude temblor followed by a tsunami in September 2015, killing 15 people.

In 2010, a quake measuring 8.8 in magnitude was also followed by a tsunami. It struck the center and south of the country, killing more than 500 people. DM