Strong quake causes power outages in Chile on quake anniversary

Strong quake causes power outages in Chile on quake anniversary

2011-02-28 09:23:32 GMT+7 (ICT)

CONCEPCION, CHILE (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck central Chile on late Sunday evening, seismologists and officials said, causing some power outages on the anniversary of a huge earthquake that rocked the region last year.

The 5.9-magnitude earthquake at 10.29 p.m. local time (0129 GMT Monday) was centered about 28 kilometers (17 miles) north of Lebu, a port city in the Biobío region. It struck about 31 kilometers (19 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the country's National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry (ONEMI).

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the strength of the earthquake at 6.0 on the Richter scale with a depth of around 16 kilometers (10 miles). It estimated around 248,000 people would likely have perceived strong shaking, which could result in light to moderate damage.

ONEMI said the earthquake was not strong enough to generate a tsunami, but it was not immediately clear if there was any damage or casualties as a result of the tremor. "The Bio Bio region has partial power outages in Cañete and Chiguayante," ONEMI said, without providing other details.

Chile is frequently rattled by large earthquakes. On May 22, 1960, the 'Great Chilean earthquake' struck the coast of central Chile. The 9.5-magnitude earthquake, the largest earthquake ever instrumentally recorded, left between 490 and 5,700 people killed.

And on February 27, 2010, an epic 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck approximately 95 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Chillan, offshore of Bio-Bio, at a depth of about 35 kilometers (21.7 miles).

The earthquake, which was one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, devastated the region and - together with a resulting tsunami - left at least 521 people dead. More than 12,000 others were injured while damages were valued at $30 billion.

Sunday's earthquake also happened just two weeks after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck also near Lebu in Chile, causing power outages but no damage or casualties.

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