Powerful 7.4-magnitude quake strikes northern Chile near Argentine border

Santiago (Chile), Jul 19 (AP) A magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit northern Chile near its border with Argentina on Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake struck at at 9:51 p.m. Chilean time and had a depth of 117 kilometers, according to the USGS. Its epicenter was 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile.

Chile is located in the so-called “Ring of Fire” in the Pacific and experiences frequent earthquakes. In 2010, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake and subsequent tsunami claimed 526 lives. (AP) NSA NSA