Chile Earthquake News: 6.1 Level Quake Rocks Country’s North

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 degrees on the Richter scale has rocked northern Chile on Sunday, however, there have been no damages or casualties reported. According to a report from the National Emergency Office, the epicenter of the quake was located 95 kilometers north of the city of Iquique, which suffered similar seismic activity last week when an earthquake of a 6.7 degree magnitude shook the country's north, provoking an evacuation and fears of a tsunami.

The earthquake was recorded on Sunday at 3:20 PM local time and affected the regions of Tarapacá, Arica and Parinacota, in the extreme north of the country. Much like the eight other recent quakes recorded in the area, the epicenter of the earthquake was located northeast of of Iquique, this time it was 95 kilometers from the capital of Tarapacá. In a statement, the National Emergency Office revealed that "there are no injuries or alterations to services or infrastructure reported as a result of this quake."

Last week, the US Geological Survey revealed that strong aftershocks continued after the initial earthquake, with magnitudes ranging from 4.9 to 5.2. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that is no threat of a Pacific-wide tsunami. Ricardo Toro, ONEMI's national director, told reporters that the sea rose close to 13 inches (32 centimeters). Chile's northern area sits on the border between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, making it a volatile center of seismic activity.