7.1 earthquake rocks Chile, coastal regions evacuated

A strong 7.1 magnitude earthquake has struck off the west coast of Chile near the capital Santiago, the US Geological Survey says.

The quake, which witnesses said shook buildings in the capital, was centred 32km west of the coastal city of Valparaiso at a depth of 33km below the seabed.

The US Geological Survey initially assessed the temblor as a magnitude 6.6, and then 6.8, before upgrading it to 7.1.

A magnitude 7.1 quake is considered strong and is capable of causing severe damage.

Chile's emergency services office says no damage to infrastructure has been immediately reported and authorities are discounting the possibility of a tsunami.

Strong shaking was felt across the region, prompting Chile's National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry (ONEMI) to order a precautionary evacuation of all coastal areas in the Valparaíso and O'Higgins regions.

The warning was lifted after a short time and there is no threat of a tsunami.

There was no immediate word on damage or casualties, but transportation systems in Valparaíso and other areas were halted and power outages were reported in Valparaíso and Quilicura, BDO reported.

Minor damage was reported at Santiago International Airport, it said.

Computer models from the USGS estimated that up to 16.2 million people may have felt the earthquake, including 869,000 people who could have perceived strong shaking.

"The population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist," the USGS said.

Chile is highly earthquake-prone. A devastating 8.8-magnitude quake and the tsunami it unleashed in 2010 killed more than 500 people. It was among the strongest recorded.