Moderate 5.7 quake strikes off Chile: USGS

WASHINGTON: A moderate 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile on Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The epicenter of the quake was some 24 kilometers (15 miles)northwest of Cartagena and 40 kilometers south of Valparaiso, according to the US-based monitors.

In February 2010, a massive 8.8-strength earthquake hit Chile's central Maule region, generating tsunami waves, killing more than 500 people and causing about 30 billion dollars in damage.

There were no immediate tsunami warnings in the wake of Sunday's temblor.