A MASSIVE tsunami warning has been issued in Chile following a huge 7.5-magnitude quake – prompting authorities to launch an evacuation.
The mass evacuations came after a strong earthquake in Puerto Williams in Drake Passage off the Chilean and Argentine coast.
An evacuation has been launched following an earthquake and tsunami warning
People were seen evacuating their homes
The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.5
The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service said that the coastal area of Magallenes region in Southern Chile would be evacuated due to the tsunami risk.
The United States Geological Survey confirmed the quake, saying that the quake struck between Cape Horn and Antarctica.
Pictures showed civilians fleeing buildings as part of evacuations in dramatic scenes following the quake.
Dramatic footage showed people leaving their homes and walking towards a safety checkpoint in the South American country.
The coastal areas were evacuated due to the “hazardous waves” which came following the quake in Drake Passage.
According to the National Seismological Center, the earthquake occurred when the clock was about to strike 9:00a.m.
The agency first indicated that the quake had a magnitude of 7.5 on Friday morning.
It reportedly had a depth of 6.2 miles.
The Chilean Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) issued the warning after the quake occurred 135 miles south of Puerto Williams, in the Magallanes region.
They also issued a precautionary warning for the Antarctic territory.
The National Disaster Prevention and Response System said that they “continue to assess the impact on people and damage to infrastructure and basic services”.
They added that the results of would be reported through incident or emergency reports prepared by SENAPRED, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service.
It remains unclear if any infrastructure has been damaged yet.
GettyPuerto Williams, Chile[/caption]
A tsunami warning has been issued in Chile
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