7.7 Earthquake in Chile Leaves 15,000 Homeless

By Anastacia Mott Austin

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit Chile at approximately 12:40 p.m. local time on Wednesday, say official reports.

The quake struck about 105 miles north of Antofagasta, a capital port city. According the reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it was located at a depth of about 37 miles.

The city most affected was the small town of Tocopilla. "One of the most affected zones could be Tocopilla where some houses in the western part of town, which are made of lighter materials, have been affected and we have some injured people," said Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe to television reporters.

The depth of the quake was good news, as temblors located near the earth’s surface are the most deadly.

The shaking was felt as far away as the Bolivian capital of La Paz, and in many areas of Peru.

"It was horribly strong," said Andrea Riveros, a witness who was staying at the Park Hotel in Calama, to the press. "It was very long, and there was a lot of underground noise."

There were reports of downed power lines, collapsed buildings, and major cracks at the Antofagasta airport.

Injury reports were still coming in, but no accounts of deaths as of press time.

Echoing what most people already knew, a representative of the Office of National Emergency told local newspaper Diario Financiero, it was "an earthquake of major intensity."

Chile is the world’s largest exporter of copper, and power to several copper mines was cut, temporarily halting mining.

Tsunami warnings were issued initially for Peru and Chile, but because the quake hit so far inland, no major tsunamis were expected. United States’ officials urged caution, however. "Some coastal areas in Hawaii could experience small, non-destructive sea level changes and strong or unusual currents lasting up to several hours," said the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Alert Center.

The first quake was followed by several large aftershocks, measuring 5.7, 5.0, and 4.9, in the initial hours following the temblor.