Chile rocked by 6.8 earthquake

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake has struck 100 kilometers (62 miles) south-southwest of Coquimbo, Chile, the US Geological Survey is reporting.

The quake woke residents in the Chilean capital, Santiago, 300 kilometers away, Reuters reported.

There had at first been a warning of a small tsunami issued by Chile's navy, but it was quickly withdrawn.

Power outages have been reported on social media.

The earlier quake struck about 108 kilometres northeast of Coquimbo, according to the US Geological Survey.

No injury or damages have been reported so far.

"The situation in the region of the epicenter is now in a state of normality,'' Ricardo Toro, the head of the emergency services, said in a press conference, cited by AP.

A deadly 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck Chile in September, forcing over 1 million people to evacuate, triggering tsunami warnings in California and Hawaii. At least 15 people were killed.

Chile has a long history of major quakes, including the strongest recorded in recent history. At least 1,655 people were killed and 3,000 injured in the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960.

4:16 AM