SANTIAGO, CHILE – Coastal communities in Chile and Argentina are on high alert today after a significant 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern tip of South America, triggering tsunami warnings and the evacuation of thousands of residents. The powerful tremor, which occurred in the Drake Passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica, prompted immediate action from authorities in both nations to move populations to higher ground.
The earthquake, registered at a depth of just 10 kilometers (6 miles) by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), struck at 9:58 AM local time (12:58 GMT). Its epicenter was located approximately 219 kilometers (136 miles) south of Ushuaia, Argentina, the world’s southernmost city, and a similar distance from the Chilean town of Puerto Williams.
Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) swiftly issued a tsunami warning for the entire coastal region of Magallanes, the country’s southernmost territory, and the Chilean Antarctic Territory. President Gabriel Boric took to social media to urge residents to heed the evacuation orders and emphasized that all necessary resources were being deployed.
“We are calling for the evacuation of the coastline throughout the Magallanes region,” President Boric stated. “Right now, our duty is to be proactive and heed the authorities.”
According to SENAPRED, over 1,700 people have been evacuated from sparsely populated coastal areas, including Puerto Williams and Puerto Natales. Videos circulating on social media showed residents calmly moving away from the shoreline as tsunami sirens blared in the background.
In Argentina, authorities in the far-south Tierra del Fuego province reported that the earthquake was strongly felt in Ushuaia. As a precautionary measure, all water activities and navigation in the Beagle Channel were suspended for several hours, and residents in the town of Puerto Almanza were preventatively evacuated to higher ground.
Photo by Nayla Charo
While there have been no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties in either country, authorities are closely monitoring sea levels and anticipating the arrival of potential tsunami waves. The Chilean Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) estimated that waves ranging from 0.3 to 3 meters could reach the Antarctic Peninsula and the southern coasts of South America in the coming hours.
The region is highly seismically active, located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone responsible for a vast majority of the world’s earthquakes. Chile has a history of experiencing powerful earthquakes, including the 1960 Valdivia earthquake, the strongest ever recorded at magnitude 9.5, and the 2010 Maule earthquake, which triggered a devastating tsunami.
As the situation unfolds, emergency response teams are on the ground in both Chile and Argentina, and international monitoring agencies are tracking potential tsunami activity. The focus remains on ensuring the safety of coastal populations and assessing any potential damage from the earthquake and subsequent waves.