Tsunami Alert: Evacuations in Chile's Southern Tip After 7.4 Quake

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Drake Passage, triggering a tsunami risk for Chile's Magallanes region. Authorities urged evacuations, and President Gabriel Boric assured full resources for response. Social media showed orderly evacuations as Chile's Hydrographic Service warned of waves reaching Antarctica and southern cities.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 has struck the Drake Passage, situated between Cape Horn and Antarctica, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey.

In response, Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service announced an evacuation for the coastal areas of the Magallanes region due to tsunami risks. President Gabriel Boric communicated via X that state resources would be fully deployed to address potential impacts.

Social media videos captured residents evacuating calmly as sirens sounded. The Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of Chile warned that waves are expected to reach both Antarctic bases and southern Chilean cities in the next few hours, prompting precautionary evacuations at the Antarctic bases, as reported by Chile's Antarctic Institute.

(With inputs from agencies.)