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| 7.1M Earthquake Strikes off Coast of Chile, Near Santiago
A major earthquake of magnitude 7.1 struck off the west coast of Chile on Monday, rocking the capital Santiago and generating at least two significant aftershocks. No major damage was immediately apparent, according to an assessment by Chile's emergency services. The Chilean Navy and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake was not expected to cause a tsunami. Chile's state-run Codelco, one of the largest copper mining companies in the world, said its operations were unaffected. The quake was centered 22 miles (35 km) west of the coastal city of Valparaiso at a shallow depth of 6.2 miles (10 km) below the seabed, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Chilean authorities initially ordered a preventative evacuation of the coastal area near Valparaiso, some 60 miles (97 km) west of Santiago, in case of a tsunami, but canceled it shortly afterward. A spokesman with the local government in Valparaiso said there were no reports of structural damage so far, but cellphone networks were