MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Intermediate earthquake felt Sunday noon in northern Chile

The strength of the earthquake may have been tempered by its relative great depth below the surface, which makes it feel weaker in absolute terms

An intermediate magnitude 6.0 earthquake was reported around Sunday noon near Iquique, Provincia de Iquique, Tarapaca, Chile. According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the quake hit on Sunday 6 December 2020 at 1.47 pm local time at an intermediate depth of 114 km.

The strength of the earthquake may have been tempered by its relative great depth below the surface, which makes it feel weaker in absolute terms. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.

A second report was later issued by INPRES, which listed it as a magnitude 6.1 earthquake. A third agency, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), reported the same quake at magnitude 6.3.

Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter. Weak shaking might have been felt in Iquique (pop. 227,500) located 114 km from the epicenter.