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A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 has struck east of the city of Ovalle in Chile's Limarí province, seismologists say, with shaking felt over a large area.

The earthquake, which struck at 4:25 p.m. local time on Saturday, was centered about 13 kilometers (8 miles) east of Ovalle, or 82 kilometers (51 miles) southeast of La Serena. It struck about 49 kilometers (30 miles) deep, making it a relatively shallow earthquake, according to Chile's seismological center.

The earthquake could be felt over a large area, with medium intensity shaking reported in the regions of Atacama and O'Higgins. There was no immediate word about possible damage or casualties.

Chile's seismological center initially put the magnitude of the earthquake at 6.2, but later downgraded it to 6.0. Chile's Hydrographical and Oceanographical Service of the Navy said the earthquake did not meet the characteristics necessary to generate a tsunami off the coast.