7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Chile

A major magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck northern Chile on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the temblor was located 265km east of the coastal city of Antofagasta, at a depth of 126km.

"So far there are no reports of injuries or major damage, but teams are gathering information," Chilean President Gabriel Boric wrote on X.

The UAE's seismic network also detected the quake at 5.50am, placing it at magnitude 7.1, the National Centre of Meteorology said.

Chile is situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude quake unleashed a tsunami that swept away entire villages in the south and centre of the country, leaving about 520 people dead.