Moderate quake rattles Chile

Santiago, Agency
A magnitude-5.5 earthquake shook Tuesday the regions of O'Higgins, Maule, Bio Bio and La Araucania in central and southern Chile, but authorities received no reports of casualties or serious damage.

These four regions were among those affected by February's magnitude-8.8 temblor, which killed some 400 people and caused an estimated $30 billion in damage.

The quake took place at 7:38 a.m. (1038 GMT) and its epicenter was at Bio Bio, 31 kilometers (19 miles) northeast of Chillan and some 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Santiago, the Seismological Institute at the University of Chile said.

The earthquake was felt most strongly in the towns of Longavi, Linares, Parral, San Javier, Pelluhue and San Clemente, all in the Maule region.