A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake shook central Chile, causing office buildings in the capital to sway for almost a minute but apparently causing no major damage.

The US Geological Survey said the yesterday quake’s epicentre was the port of San Antonio, some 132 km (82 miles) west-southwest of Santiago, Chile.

It struck at 6.36 PM local time.

Buildings swayed in Santiago and some people fled to the streets in fear. But Chile’s emergency services office said no damages to infrastructure were immediately reported and it discounted the possibility of a tsunami.

Chile is highly earthquake-prone and several tremors have been reported in the central region spreading fears among residents who have bad memories of other quakes that have caused widespread destruction.

In 2010, a devastating 8.8-magnitude quake, one of the strongest recorded, and the tsunami it unleashed, killed 551 people, destroyed 220,000 homes and washed away docks, riverfronts and seaside resorts.

The disaster cost Chile $30 billion, or 18 per cent of its annual gross domestic product.

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