A magnitude 6.4 earthquake shakes Chile but there are no reports of damage

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has shaken central Chile but there have been no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami had been ruled out

SANTIAGO, Chile -- A 6.4 magnitude earthquake shook central Chile on Friday but there were no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami was ruled out.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 7:38 p.m. local time (23:38 GMT) at a depth of 110 kilometers. Its epicenter was 41 kilometers (25 miles) east-southeast of the town of Molina.

The quake was felt in the central and northern regions of Chile, including in the capital Santiago. The Chilean National System for Disaster Prevention and Response said there were no reports of damages or emergencies.

Chile’s oceanographic service said the quake did “not meet the conditions necessary to generate a tsunami” on the coasts of the South American country.

Chile is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region that has among the greatest seismic and volcanic activity in the world.