A strong earthquake struck the Atacama Region in Chile at 11:52 (14:52 UTC), provoking widespread hysteria. The United States Geological Survey reported that the tremor reached a magnitude of 6.2. The epicentre is located on the mainland 76 kilometers south of Copiapó and at a depth of 59 kilometers. However, the University of Chile Geological Survey reported that the seism reached a magnitude of 5.9.