Magnitude 6.8 quake strikes off Chile; no tsunami seen

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile today, the US Geological Survey said, but Chilean emergency authorities said they saw no prospect that the tremor would generate a tsunami.

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Chile on Monday, the US Geological Survey said, but Chilean emergency authorities said they saw no prospect that the tremor would generate a tsunami.

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The quake struck 400 miles (640 km) west of Puerto Aisen at a depth of 6.2 miles, the USGS said.

It said the quake had occurred at 5:49am Chile time (0943 GMT)

Chile's emergency office said on Twitter that the quake did not have the conditions necessary to generate a tsunami. It added the quake was not felt in the country.

The USGS pinpointed the quake in the Nazca tectonic plate area.