A 7.4 magnitude earthquake strikes off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coasts of Chile and Argentina on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said.

Chilean authorities issued an evacuation alert for the entire coastal section of the Strait of Magellan, in the far south of the country.

Citing the threat of a tsunami, the Chilean National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response ordered the evacuation of the beach area of ​​the Antarctic Territory, Magallanes Region.

The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was under the ocean 219 kilometers (173 miles) south of the Argentinian city of Ushuaia.

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The Associated Press