Chile: A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurs in Tarapaca Province at around 05:35 CLST Jan. 7

A magnitude-5.2 earthquake occurred in the Tarapaca Province at around 05:35 CLST Jan. 7. The epicenter was about 125 km (78 miles) east of Arica. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 140 km (78 miles), and shaking was probably felt throughout far northern Chile, far southern Peru, and western Bolivia. 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. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

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.