Tsunami warning after 8.0 quake strikes off Chile
An earthquake of 8.0 magnitude has struck off Chile's coast near Iquique, triggering a tsunami warning for all of Latin America's Pacific coast, the US Geological Survey says.
It said the quake was very shallow, only 10km below the seabed, which would have made it feel stronger.
It was centred 86km (56 miles) north-west of the mining area of Iquique.
The USGS said a quake of this force had the power to generate a "destructive tsunami" for coastlines.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning after the quake, as did Chilean authorities who reportedly registered it as 7.9 magnitude.
Chile is one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
Central and southern areas of the country were hit by a powerful earthquake of 8.8 magnitude quake followed by a tsunami that devastated scores of towns in February 2010.
Are you affected by the earthquake? Are you in the region where a tsunami warning has been put in place? Please emailhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with 'Chile' in the subject.
