SANTIAGO, Chile - A powerful earthquake shook central Chile on Thursday, alarming residents of the nation's second-largest city but apparently causing no major damage, officials said.
The 6.3-magnitude quake struck at 6:19 p.m. local time and was centred about 70 kilometres north of Valparaiso, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Seismological Institute of the University of Chile said the quake's magnitude was 5.9.
The quake was followed by two aftershocks, one of which the USGS measured at magnitude 5.8.
Some residents of Valparaiso -- which together with sister city Vina del Mar have 1.6 million residents -- fled into the streets when the quake struck.
But Carmen Fernandez, head of Chile's Emergency Bureau, said there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.
"It's a strong quake, but it's still 45 miles away from the city," said John Bellini, a USGS geophysicist in Golden, Colorado.
"This would not be expected to cause large, widespread damage."
Valparaiso is Chile's second largest city and lies 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest of Santiago. The quake was felt in Chile's capital.
