Chile: Magnitude-5.2 offshore earthquake occurs west of Valparaiso Nov. 6

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Chile's Valparaiso Region at around 10:51 Nov. 6. The epicenter was about 33 km (21 miles) west of Valparaiso. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 29 km (18 miles), and moderate-to-light shaking was probably felt in coastal areas near the epicenter, as well as light shaking throughout much of Valparaiso, Metropolitana, O'Higgins, southern Coquimbo, and northern Maule regions in central Chile and into northwestern Mendoza and southwestern San Juan provinces in far western Argentina. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.