Chile cancels tsunami evacuation, maintains coastal warning

SANTIAGO, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Chilean authorities canceled a preventive evacuation order in the southern Magallanes region Friday following a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, but a tsunami advisory remains in effect for the coastal areas, officials said.

The powerful quake struck at 8:58 a.m. local time (1258 GMT), with the epicenter 218 kilometers south of Puerto Williams, the southernmost city in Chile, roughly 3,500 kilometers from Santiago.

"No evacuation is required at this time, but the tsunami threat remains limited to beaches and coastal zones in Magallanes," said Alicia Cebrian, head of the National Disaster Prevention and Response System.

Authorities said waves between 30 and 90 centimeters are still possible. Residents are advised to avoid beaches, river mouths, piers, docks, and other coastal areas until the advisory is lifted.

The government initially issued a "state of precaution" for Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctic Territory, a measure triggered when there's a potential tsunami risk with limited coastal impact.

No injuries or damage have been reported so far. More than a dozen aftershocks followed the quake, including one of magnitude 6.1. ■