Significant 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes South America, Tsunami Risk Under Review

Earthquake Details

On Friday morning, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale rattled South America, prompting an assessment of potential tsunami risks. Initially reported as an 8.0 magnitude event, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) later revised the figure to 7.5.

The quake reportedly affected the Drake Passage, the waterway located between the southernmost point of South America and Antarctica.

Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The earthquake struck the southern region of the continent at 2:16 AM UTC, which corresponds to 7:46 AM Indian Standard Time.

Recent Earthquake in Indonesia

In a related seismic event, a magnitude 5.8 undersea earthquake occurred on August 17, impacting the eastern region of Indonesia and resulting in injuries to 29 individuals, with two in critical condition.

The US Geological Survey indicated that this quake hit 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) north of the Poso district in Central Sulawesi province and was followed by at least 15 aftershocks. Indonesian officials did not issue a tsunami warning for this incident.