After a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off Chile and Argentina, the country’s authorities issued a tsunami warning and ordered evacuations.
Due to the risk of a tsunami, the Chilean National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response issued a “red alert” on Friday for the country’s Antarctic and southernmost Magallenas regions.
The organization claimed that hundreds of people had been forced to leave a number of communities, including Puerto Williams, in a post on its website.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response System, it continued, “is still assessing the damage to basic services and infrastructure, as well as the impact on people.”
Initial reports of no injuries or damage have been untrue.
The Drake Passage, which is located between Cape Horn and Antarctica, was only 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep when the earthquake struck, according to the US Geological Survey.
The most populous and largest region of Chile is located in Magallanes, which is also one of its least populated regions. Approximately 166, 000 people lived in 2017, according to government figures.
Gabriel Boric, president of Chile, stated that the earthquake’s aftermath had been accompanied by all available resources.
In a social media post, he wrote, “We call for the evacuation of the entire Magallanes region.” Our duty at this time is to be prepared and pay attention to the authorities.
Sirens blared in the background as people calmly evaded in social media videos.
In the upcoming hours, waves are expected to pass bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile’s extreme south, according to the hydrographic and oceanographic service (SHOA).
Local authorities in the Argentine city of Ushuaia, which is considered to be the southernmost nation in the world, temporarily suspended all water activities and navigation in the Beagle Channel.
Source: Aljazeera
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