Chile: A magnitude-5.9 offshore earthquake occurs in the South Pacific Ocean, southwest of Biobio Region, at around 22:23 Dec. 23

A magnitude-5.9 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean off the southwest coast of Chile at around 22:23 Dec. 23. The epicenter was about 52 km (32 miles) southwest of Canete in Arauco Province of the Biobio Region. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 11 km (7 miles), and light-to-moderate shaking was probably felt throughout of Biobio and Araucania regions. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake. 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.