CALAMA, CHILE (THECOUNT) — A powerful 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck near Calama in Chile’s Antofagasta Region Tuesday morning, according to preliminary seismic reports.
The quake impacted the northern Chile mining region surrounding Calama, a city situated along the Loa River and widely known as a gateway to the Atacama Desert.
Authorities have not yet released immediate information regarding injuries, fatalities, or structural damage.
Calama sits within one of the world’s largest copper-producing regions and serves as a major hub for mining operations throughout northern Chile.
Just north of the city is Chuquicamata, one of the largest open-pit copper mines on earth.
The surrounding region also includes Chiu Chiu, a historic village known for its 17th-century adobe church, as well as Valle de la Luna inside Los Flamencos National Reserve, an area recognized for desert terrain and rock formations resembling a lunar landscape.
Chile is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent seismic activity due to the interaction between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates.
Officials are continuing to assess the impact of the earthquake across the Antofagasta Region.
No tsunami warning information was immediately released.
The situation remains developing.
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