Santiago: A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the Drake Passage — the waterway separating South America and Antarctica — on Friday morning, prompting a tsunami warning and coastal evacuations in southern Chile.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake hit at 9:58 a.m. local time at a depth of 10 kilometers, with its epicenter located 219 kilometers from Ushuaia, Argentina, and the same distance from Puerto Williams, Chile.

Chile’s National Seismological Center recorded the quake at 7.4 magnitude, slightly below the USGS estimate. Several aftershocks followed the main tremor.

Tsunami Alert and Evacuation
In response, Chile’s disaster management agency Senapred issued a tsunami alert for the Magallanes region, urging residents to evacuate coastal areas and move to higher ground. President Gabriel Boric also called for an evacuation of beaches across the region via his official social media account.

However, within two hours, authorities declared the situation under control. Senapred’s regional director Juan Carlos Andrade announced the end of the evacuation, though fishing activities remain suspended until further notice.

Ground Impact and Reactions
Despite the quake's strength, there were no immediate reports of casualties or property damage. The governor's office of Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego province confirmed that the tremors were felt most strongly in Ushuaia, with only minor shaking reported in other areas.

Residents described their experiences. Sofia Ramonet, who lives in a third-floor apartment in Ushuaia, told AFP, “I was asleep when I felt the bed moving a lot. The hanging lamp was swaying side to side for what felt like a few minutes.”

Seismic Background
Chile is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, sitting at the convergence of three tectonic plates: the Nazca, South American, and Antarctic. It has experienced several devastating quakes in recent history, including:

-A 9.5-magnitude quake in Valdivia in 1960, the most powerful ever recorded, which killed over 9,500 people.

-A 2010 earthquake of 8.8 magnitude, which struck the central coast and claimed more than 520 lives.

Friday’s earthquake serves as a stark reminder of the region’s seismic vulnerability. While the tsunami scare was brief and ultimately lifted, authorities remain vigilant, urging residents to be prepared for potential aftershocks and further updates.