MASS evacuations have been sparked after a huge 7.5-magnitude earthquake south of Chile and Argentina.
Civilians were forced to flee across the entire coastal section of the Strait of Magellan after a strong earthquake in Drake Passage.
The United States Geological Survey confirmed the mega quake, saying that it had struck between Cape Horn and Antarctica.
They added that its epicentre was under the ocean 173 miles south of the Argentinian city of Ushuaia.
The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service announced the evacuation of the coastal area in the Magallanes region, located in the country’s south, due to a tsunami threat.
Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on X after the alert: “We call for evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region.”
Chile’s disaster agency advised residents to “act calmly and follow the instructions of authorities and response teams” following the quake.
Pictures showed civilians fleeing buildings as part of evacuations in dramatic scenes.
Tense footage showed people leaving their homes and walking towards a safety checkpoint in the South American country.
Town streets were flooded as the evacuations were sparked across the south.
The coastal areas were evacuated due to the “hazardous waves” which came following the quake in Drake Passage.
According to the National Seismological Center, the earthquake occurred when the clock was about to strike 9:00a.m.
The agency first indicated that the quake had a magnitude of 7.5 on Friday morning.
It reportedly had a depth of 6.2 miles.
This alert was released by the Chilean Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) following an earthquake that struck 135 miles south of Puerto Williams in the Magallanes region.
They also issued a precautionary warning for the Antarctic territory.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response System stated that they are “continuing to evaluate the impact on individuals and the damage to infrastructure and essential services”.
They added that the results of would be reported through incident or emergency reports prepared by SENAPRED, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service.
Argentina did not immediately issue a similar tsunami warning.
No reports of damage or casualties have been released yet.
Local media reported that the evacuations are a precautionary measure.
Residents were being asked to evacuate to safe areas which are 30 metres above sea level.
In 2016, a major 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck southern Chile, prompting thousands to evacuate coastal areas.
The quake’s depth was about 21.5 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and a tsunami warning was issued.
And according to media reports, the shake was felt in the southwest Argentine city of Bariloche.
It comes after a massive 7.1-magnitude earthquake rocked the Tonga coast, also sparking a tsunami warning.
The US Geological Survey said the tremor hit about 62 miles northeast of the main island of Tongatapu.
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