A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off southern Argentina early this morning, prompting tsunami alerts across southern South America and Antarctica. The U.S. Geological Survey located the epicenter about 200 kilometers south of Puerto Williams at a depth of 10 kilometers. Several aftershocks followed.
Authorities warned of tsunami waves up to nine feet in Chile’s Magallanes Region and three feet in Antarctica. Evacuations began as sirens sounded along Chile’s southern coast, and residents fled low-lying areas. President Gabriel Boric urged calm, saying all state resources were mobilized. Power outages and infrastructure damage were reported near the epicenter. Officials opened shelters and urged residents to stay away from coastlines until alerts are lifted, reminding that Chile lies on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
