Santiago feels effects of 7.2 tremor with emergency agency evacuating some coastal areas, although tsunamis not expected
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© The Associated Press/Fabian SuazoPeople gather outside a supermarket after an earthquake was felt in Talca, Chile, Sunday, March 25, 2012.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit central Chile on Sunday, shaking buildings in the capital Santiago and the government emergency agency, ONEMI, said it was preventively evacuating some areas of the coast.

The quake struck 64 miles (103 km) west north west of the town of Talca at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 km), the US Geological Survey said.

Magnitude 7.0 quakes or greater are capable of causing widespread, heavy damage.

ONEMI said, however, that the quake was not expected to generate a tsunami off the coast.

The latest earthquake hit near the same central region that struck by a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake in 2010 and tsnunamis in 2010 that killed about 500 people.

The central area is home to some important copper mines, but the bulk of output in the world's top copper exporting nation is concentrated in the far northern region.

Source: Reuters