6.3-magnitude quake hits western Argentina–USGS

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina–An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 rocked a sparsely populated area in western Argentina on Monday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck 54 miles (about 85 kilometers) northwest of La Punta at 1049 GMT. It put the quake’s intensity at 6.3 on the Moment Magnitude scale.

Argentina’s National Institute of Seismic Prevention gave a reading of 6.1 on the Richter scale.

It was the second strongest quake in Latin America this year, surpassed only by a 6.6-magnitude tremor on January 7 in Panama, according to the USGS.