Earthquake Hits Atacama Region in Chile

Santiago, 20 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 4.7 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the Atacama region of Chile today.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said in a statement that the epicenter of the earthquake was 69 km from the city of Vallenar in the region, and at a depth of 68.6 km.

Chile lies on an area called the "Ring of Fire," an arc of fault lines that surround the Pacific Ocean basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

----Ends/AG