Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Strikes Southern Chile: Sea Recedes in Magallanes and Tsunami Alert Issued

MAGALLANES, CHILE — A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked southern Chile on Friday, causing panic and a concerning natural phenomenon on the shores of the Magallanes region: a sudden and significant sea recession. Chile’s National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) immediately issued a tsunami alert and ordered the evacuation of coastal areas in anticipation of potentially devastating waves.

Portuguese: Terremoto 7.8 no Chile, alerta de tsunami.
English: 7.8 earthquake in Chile, tsunami warning.
Español: Sismo de 7,8 en Chile, alerta de tsunami.#Chile #Terremoto #Tsunami #Magallanes #Evacuação #Sismo #AlertaTsunami #CENAPRED pic.twitter.com/iGCcSqmYp4 — K13 News (@K13News) May 2, 2025

The quake struck at 10:42 a.m. local time, with the epicenter located approximately 45 km off the southern coast of the Aysén region at a depth of around 25 km, according to preliminary data from the National Seismological Service. The tremor was felt strongly from Puerto Natales to Punta Arenas, causing structural damage in several towns and disrupting power and communication services.

Sea Recession: A Maximum Red Alert

Residents in Puerto Natales captured videos of the sea pulling back dramatically at Magallanes Beach—a classic precursor to incoming tsunamis. “The ocean just disappeared before our eyes,” said a local fisherman. The footage quickly went viral on social media, heightening public anxiety.

CENAPRED classified the event as "potentially destructive" and warned that waves exceeding 3 meters could strike the coastline within hours. Evacuation sirens were activated throughout the southern coast, and the Chilean Navy coordinated emergency actions in at-risk zones.

Evacuation and Emergency Response

Authorities mobilized Civil Defense teams, firefighters, police, and the Armed Forces to ensure safe evacuation. Temporary shelters were opened in elevated areas, and helicopters conducted aerial assessments of affected regions.

The President of Chile convened an emergency cabinet meeting and declared a state of alert for the entire southern region. “The absolute priority is the protection of human life. I urge calm, but also full compliance with local authority instructions,” the President said in a national address.

Regional Risk and Ongoing Monitoring

Geophysics experts warned that due to the quake’s magnitude and the region’s position along the Pacific Ring of Fire, aftershocks are likely in the next 24 hours. International monitoring centers, including NOAA (USA) and Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service, are also tracking the possibility of tsunami waves reaching parts of Argentina and even Antarctica.

In the meantime, coastal populations remain on high alert. Classes have been suspended, ports closed, and road traffic partially halted as a precaution.

K13 News is following this developing story in real time and will update this article as soon as more information is confirmed by Chilean authorities.