Earthquake of 4.7 Magnitude Strikes Chile

An earthquake measuring 4.7 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the Atacama region of Chile on Sunday. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said in a statement that the epicenter of the earthquake was 69 km from the city of Vallenar in the region, and at a depth of 68.6 km. There have been no reports of material damage or human losses due to the earthquake. In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami struck central and southern Chile, killing 500 people. Chile lies on an area called the "Ring of Fire," an arc of fault lines that surround the Pacific Ocean basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Source: Qatar News Agency