SANTIAGO, CHILE - Jun 20 2011 19:50

A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook far northern Chile on Monday, but caused no injuries or damage, Chilean and US experts said.

The quake struck at 4.35pm GMT about 90km northeast of Calama, a city of more than 100 000 people in the heart of the Atacama desert in the Antofagasta region, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre of the quake was at a depth of 111.3km, the US-based quake monitoring group said.

Chile's National Emergency Office put the quake's epicentre closer to Calama and deeper in the earth than the USGS reading.

It said it was felt in the northern regions of Arica, Parinacota, Tarapaca, Antofagasta and Atacama.

"No emergencies have been reported as a result of this quake," it said, adding there were no reports of injuries or damage.

It added the quake did not pose a threat of tsunamis to Chilean coasts.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre measured the earthquake at 6.6-magnitude, but said no destructive widespread tsunami threat existed.

http://mg.co.za/article/2011-06-20-strong-quake-rattles-chile/