7.2 magnitude quake strikes central Chile: USGS

WASHINGTON: A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Chile Sunday, in an area hit by an 8.8 earthquake in 2010, the US Geological Survey said.

The USGS said the latest quake occurred at 2237 GMT 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of Talca, Chile, at a depth of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).

The Maule coastal region in central Chile where the quake occurred has been periodically shaken by powerful aftershocks since an 8.8 magnitude quake February 27, 2010 that claimed more than 500 lives and billions of dollars in damage.