Chile: Magnitude-7.3 earthquake occurs in Antofagasta Region at around 21:50 July 18

A magnitude-7.3 earthquake occurred in the Antofagasta Region in northern Chile at around 21:50 July 18. The epicenter was about 41 km (25 miles) southeast of San Pedro de Atacama. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 126 km (78 miles), and very strong shaking was probably felt near the epicenter, while moderate-to-strong shaking likely occurred in the rest of the Antofagasta and southern Tarapaca regions in Chile, Jujuy and western Salta provinces in Argentina, and southwestern Potosi Department in 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.