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SANTIAGO - At least 10 people were missing today after a large earthquake in southern Chile caused power cuts, landslides and large waves off the nation's Pacific coast, authorities said.
The 6.2 magnitude quake hit at 13:50 local time (0550 NZ time Sunday) with an epicentre 1320km south of the capital Santiago, near the city of Coyhaique. At first it was not thought to have caused material damages.
The government disaster agency Onemi said later that the quake had caused chunks of land to fall into the ocean, causing large waves, but not a tsunami, in an area where there are salmon farms.
Onemi said in a statement army patrols and police were searching for 10 people who had been reported missing and are thought to have been on the ocean near where the wave activity occurred.
Saturday's quake was the strongest of hundreds to have struck the region in recent months. The length of Chile is prone to earthquakes.
- REUTERS
