Powerful 7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near South America; Tsunami Risk Evaluated
A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck a remote waterway near South America on Friday morning, prompting authorities to evaluate a potential tsunami risk for the region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake jolted the Drake Passage, a body of water situated between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica.
The earthquake, which occurred at 7:46 am Indian Standard Time (2:16 am UTC), was initially reported as a stronger magnitude 8.0 before being downgraded. There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries from the sparsely populated region.
The event comes on the heels of other significant seismic activity around the globe. On August 17, a magnitude 5.8 undersea earthquake shook eastern Indonesia, injuring 29 people, two of them critically. That quake, which struck near the Poso district in Central Sulawesi, was followed by at least 15 aftershocks, causing panic among residents, including many who were attending Sunday church services.
In July, a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake, one of the most powerful recorded in modern history, struck off Russia’s eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami warnings across the Pacific. The quake generated significant tsunami waves, reaching up to 13.1 feet in Russia, 4.9 feet in Japan, and 5.7 feet in Hawaii, highlighting the destructive potential of major undersea temblors.
