Santiago — A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Chile’s Atacama Desert coast Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning for the Pacific coastline and prompting immediate evacuations of coastal communities in Atacama and Antofagasta provinces.
The tremor hit at 11:47 a.m. local time at a depth of 28 kilometers, according to Chile’s National Seismological Center. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for the entire Chilean coast, with waves of up to 1.5 meters expected along the northern Atacama region.
Chile’s National Emergency Office (ONEMI) ordered immediate evacuation of all beaches and low-lying coastal zones, with mandatory evacuation within 30 minutes of a tsunami warning.
Evacuations Underway Across Northern Coast
“We felt the ground shake for nearly a minute. The first floor of our building evacuated immediately,” said Carla Mendez, a resident of Antofagasta. At least 34,000 people along the Atacama and Antofagasta coastlines received automatic emergency alerts.
Chile’s Mining Ministry reported that copper mines in the Antofagasta region activated emergency protocols. No injuries had been reported at any mining facility as of late afternoon.
Infrastructure Under Assessment
President Boric’s government convened an emergency cabinet meeting and was en route to ONEMI’s headquarters in Santiago. The Constitution mandates a mandatory coastal evacuation within 30 minutes of a tsunami warning.
Diego Vargas, Media Hook, Santiago.