Powerful earthquake shakes Chile

World Today

Cracks appear in and along a road near Quellon, Chile, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2016, after an earthquake. (Edinson Capdevilla/Aton via AP)

A powerful earthquake that shook southern Chile on Sunday created large cracks along a road near the city of Quellon.

There were no immediate reports of deaths.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.6 quake struck at 11:22 a.m. local time (9:22 a.m. EST; 1422 GMT) near the southern tip of Chiloe Island, about 25 miles (39 kilometres) south-southwest of Puerto Quello and at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometres).

The area, some 800 miles (1,300 kilometres) south of the capital of Santiago, is relatively sparsely populated.