A magnitude 4.0 earthquake took the inhabitants by surprise the Chilean city of Punitaquiaccording to official data from the National Seismological Center (CSN).
Preliminary information indicates that the seismic activity began at 01:03 a.m. (local time) this Saturday, May 25.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located 45.0 kilometers west of the town, at -30.707 degrees latitude and -71.708 degrees longitude and had a depth of 33.0 kilometers.
Remember that in the event of any earthquake, information follows only from official sourcesavoid falling into rumors or fake news.
After an earthquake, check your house for possible damage, use your cell phone only in case of emergency, do not saturate the telephone lines, do not light matches or candles until you are sure that there is no gas leak. It is important to mention that after significant seismic activity, aftershocks may occur, so it is important to be alert.
An earthquake can happen at any time, so it is important to be prepared with the following measures: prepare a civil protection plan, organize evacuation drills, find safety zones at home, school or workplace and prepare a backpack of emergency.
During an earthquake, stay calm and find a safe place, stay away from objects that could fall, do not use elevators, or stay in a stairwell or door frame.
If you are in a car, park and stand away from buildings, trees and poles; If you are on the coast, leave the beach and take refuge in high areas, given the possibility of a tsunami; And if you are in a wheelchair and cannot move to a safe place, brake the wheels and protect your head and neck with your arms.
Chile is one of the countries with the most seismic activity on the planetthis is due to its geographical and geotectonic location, since it is within one of the areas with the greatest release of energy, in the permanent convergence of the “Nazca Plate” and the “South American Plate”, in the so-called subdiction zone .
In addition, the country is located in the area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, considered the region with the largest number of volcanoes and earthquakes on the planet.
This area brings together 75% of the volcanoes that exist in the world and includes more than 450 volcanic structures. In addition, it is where 90% of the seismic activity worldwide and 81% of the strongest earthquakes on the planet occur.
Only in Chile have 50% of the tsunamis recorded in the world occurred, according to information from the Department of Emergency and Disaster Risk Management.
The Pacific Ring of Fire reaches the entire Pacific coast, starting in Chile, passing through Central America, Mexico, the United States, traveling through the Aleutian Islands, then down the coasts of Russia, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, until reaching New Zealand.
Some volcanoes that are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire and that have produced relevant eruptions with great damage on a global scale are: Krakatoa In Indonesia, Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount St. Helens in the United States, the Bump in Mexico and the Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia, among others.
Every time a relevant earthquake or eruption occurs in this area, the fear arises that the Pacific Ring of Fire is “activated” causing more natural disasters, however, this is not possible, since each earthquake or volcanic activity is mostly independent of each other, that is, they are not directly related.
