In Chile’s Coquimbo region, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake left more than 80,000 residents without power. Local reporting centers describe how the outage affected daily life, especially in the stricken urban hubs where essential services faltered and families sought shelter. The disruption highlighted the vulnerabilities of aging electrical grids and the quick, practical steps communities take to restore electricity and protect infrastructure after seismic events.
Coquimbo was the hardest hit, with nearly 49,000 residents losing electricity as the tremors rippled through the area. In La Serena, approximately 31,000 users experienced outages. The impact extended beyond the immediate blackout, prompting crews to prioritize critical facilities and coordinate with municipal authorities to assess damage, reroute power where possible, and communicate restoration timelines to residents. Local officials emphasized the importance of staying calm, having emergency kits ready, and seeking official updates from trusted channels during the restoration period.
The Chilean National Seismological Center tracked the quake to a location about 11 kilometers southeast of the coastal city of Tongo, with a depth of around 46 kilometers. Despite the strong shaking, there were no reports of structural damage or casualties from the affected zones, and authorities confirmed there was no tsunami risk. The swift assessment helped guide response efforts and reassure communities that safety protocols were in place for aftershocks, which are common after larger seismic events.
Tremors did not stop with Chile. Neighboring Argentina felt the shaking in the Mendoza and San Juan provinces, where residents reported sensations of movement and windows rattling. Argentine news outlets, including the TN channel, conveyed these accounts and noted that the tremors were part of a broader regional seismic sequence that prompted monitoring by authorities on both sides of the Andes. Local emergency management agencies advised preparedness measures for potential aftershocks and encouraged residents to report any damages promptly to facilitate rapid assistance.
In a separate line of seismic news, a separate report indicated a 5.0 magnitude earthquake near Adjikabul, a city in Azerbaijan, with a depth of about 18 kilometers and a population center nearby of roughly 23,100 residents. While the report emphasized the magnitude and depth, officials stated there was no major damage reported in the vicinity. This reminder underscores how earthquakes of various magnitudes can occur in different regions, each prompting tailored responses from local authorities and communities to ensure safety and swift recovery.
Additionally, it was noted that earlier in the year, a separate weather-related emergency led to the evacuation of around 200,000 people in China due to a powerful typhoon. This event served as a sobering contrast to the seismic activity across the region, illustrating how natural hazards require coordinated preparation, resilient infrastructure, and clear, timely communication from authorities to safeguard lives and property across large populations.