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The 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck central Chile and western Argentina on Monday night caused at least three injuries, damage to roads and homes in the latter country, authorities reported.
The telluric movement started slightly and continued with great intensity in the Argentine provinces of San Juan, Mendoza, Córdoba, Tucumán and San Luis. It was also felt in neighboring Santiago and other areas of central Chile. No fatalities have been reported in both countries.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS, for its acronym in English) reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 6.4 degrees and its epicenter was located 29 kilometers (16.7 miles) southwest of the town of Pocitos, in central-western Argentina, more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) from Buenos Aires, and at a depth of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles).
About 15 minutes later there was an aftershock of magnitude 5.0, the USGS noted, and subsequently several more of between 5.3 and 4.8.
Sergio Uñac, governor of San Juan province, told reporters on Tuesday that two children suffered moderate injuries and an adult suffered one of a serious nature. All of them were taken to the hospital.
The governor also mentioned power and water supply cuts, cracks and other damages in several houses in different cities of the province, the collapse of a house and damage to roads.
The official indicated that “four people evacuated in the department of Zonda were referred to a nearby community integration center.”
The province suspended vaccination against the coronavirus. For now, no severe damage has been recorded in hospitals.
Minutes after the earthquake occurred, social networks were filled with videos and photos that showed the magnitude of the earthquake that occurred a few minutes before midnight.
In January 1944 a powerful earthquake shook the city of San Juan, destroying 90% of the buildings. The exact number of deaths was never known, although some estimates indicate that they were at least 10,000.
Meanwhile, the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy indicated that the movement did not meet the conditions to decree a tsunami alert on the country’s coasts.
For its part, the Chilean National Emergency Office indicated that preliminarily “no damage to people, alteration to basic services or infrastructure resulting from this earthquake are reported.”