Late Thursday night, Chile was stuck with an earthquake with a high magnitude of 7.3. The earthquake was felt across a wide region. It jolted everything. Although Chile, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to seismic activity, it did raise concern among the residents. 

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck northern Chile on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said, with no tsunami warning immediately issued. The earthquake occurred because of normal faulting. It happened at the intermediate depth of 120km under the triple country borders between Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia.

The epicenter of the tremor was located 164 miles (265 kilometers) east of the coastal city of Antofagasta, at a depth of 78.5 miles (126 kilometers).

Chilean Subduction Zone And Earthquake History 

Although the Chilean subduction zone is well known for producing very large earthquakes along the coastline. It suffered from the 2010 magnitude 8.8 Maule earthquake and the 1960 magnitude 9.5 Valdivia earthquake, large magnitude 7 and over intermediate depth within the subduction zone are also relatively common.

Over the past century, there have been seven other earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.0 or greater within 250 km of the event on July 19th. The largest of these was an 8.2 magnitude quake on December 9, 1950, which had a depth of 114 km. 

Some intermediate-depth normal faulting earthquakes in Chile have also caused significant damage. For instance, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in northern Chile in 2005 resulted in over 200 injuries. In 2010, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed 526 lives.

Luckily this time, no damage or harm to anyone is reported. The area had a power shortage for a while. Videos of rocks tumbling over the highways connecting the cities of Calama to Tocopilla, east of the epicenter have surfaced on the internet. Local authorities have reported roadblocks in the area.

Chile’s emergency service said that Thursday’s quake was observed in six provinces namely Tarapacá, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Arica, and Parinacota. At least a dozen aftershocks have jolted the surface since.

“Despite its remarkable size and a large number of fallen objects, it is not considered a major intensity earthquake,” researchers at the non-governmental Chilean Geoscience Network reported, citing “some minor shocks to infrastructure” but no fallen buildings. “It was not difficult for residents to stand up,” it said.

The Geoscience Network said that Thursday’s quake was the most intense to strike Chile since 2016 when a 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the south of the country. However, this earthquake in Chile is a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.