Strong 6.5 earthquake rumbles off Chile coast

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WASHINGTON – A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of central Chile late Monday but does not appear to have generated a major tsunami, according to US monitors.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 11:50 p.m. (0350 GMT Tuesday) some 48 kilometers (30 miles) from Valparaiso, Chile at a depth of 25.9 kilometers (16.1 miles).

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Hawaii, said there was no threat of a “destructive, widespread tsunami.”

“However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of the earthquake epicenter,” it said in a statement.

A massive earthquake off Chile on February 27, 2010 generated devastating tsunami waves, killing more than 500 people and causing billions of dollars in damage.