North Chile: A strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit the region last Wednesday

On Wednesday 17^th of July, a massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook North Chile according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). As EMSC stated the epicenter was near Calama while its depth was approximately equal to 150 kilometers. The tremors were felt across the region as far as Antofagasta and parts of Bolivia.

As of present no casualties or significant damage has been reported and authorities argue that the depth of the earthquake, which was deep, reduced the impact that the incident had on the surface. However, emergency teams stayed alerted, while other teams assessed the risks and ensured the safety of civilians.

Moreover, the area that the earthquake struck in Northern Chile is a mining area, where the world’s largest copper mines are located. For safety reasons, after the incident mining companies stopped the operations and started structural evaluation of their facilities to rule out structural damage. After the assessment they resumed their operations and thus there was no major impact on the area's economy.

It should be noted that Chile, is one of the most seismically active countries worldwide and hence the building codes are very strict. The latter ensures that all the buildings in the country are resilient and capable of withstanding significant seismic activities. In all, the government in Chile, with the aid of local authorities, are conducting public awareness campaigns to ensure that the public is informed and ready for a future seismic event.