Central Chile struck by magnitude 6.1 earthquake

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 has struck central Chile in the same region that was badly damaged in a powerful quake on 27 February.

An emergency official said that no damage or casualties had been reported, Reuters news agency reported.

US seismologists said the earthquake struck at 0603 local time (1003 GMT) 66km (41 miles) south of Concepcion.

The city was badly damaged in February's quake, which killed nearly 500 people and left thousands homeless.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the 6.1-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 35km (22 miles) below the Earth's surface.

"There is no reported damage to infrastructure or injuries, but people were shaken up," a spokeswoman for Chile's National Emergency Office told Reuters.

Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, and a number of other towns, were badly damaged by February's 8.8-magnitude earthquake and the tsunami it generated.

Total damage has been estimated at $30bn (£20bn), with more than 1.5m homes across the country damaged.

Much of Chile lies along the junction of the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, making the country particularly earthquake-prone. BBC