6.5-magnitude earthquake hits northern Chile, no casualties or damage reported

SANTIAGO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck northern Chile on Friday, with no casualties or material damage reported so far, Chilean authorities said.

According to the National Seismological Center of the University of Chile, the quake occurred at 10:39 a.m. local time (1339 GMT), with its epicenter located 43 km southwest of the city of Huasco in the northern Atacama region, about 700 km north of the capital Santiago.

The tremor was felt in several regions of the South American country with a depth of 28 kilometers.

The Chilean Navy's Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service said the quake did not meet the conditions necessary to generate a tsunami along the coast.

Meanwhile, the National System for Disaster Prevention and Response is continuing to assess possible damage to people, infrastructure and basic services.

Located along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," Chile is considered one of the most seismically active countries in the world. ■