Rick Allmendinger is a structural geologist who specializes in earthquake analysis at Cornell University – and he is also a visiting professor in the doctoral program at the Universidad Católica del Norte in Antofagasta, Chile. Allmendinger has been doing work in Argentina and Chile since 1981.
Media Note: A detailed analysis and history of major earthquake activity in western South America can be found here: http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/faculty/RWA/research/current_research/forearc_extension_in_a_stro.html
Allmendinger says:
“The recent 6.4 earthquake in central Chile was at 91 km (56 miles) depth and located just west of the Argentine-Chilean border. Because of its position, it is a different, and less threatening type of earthquake than the three 8+ earthquakes that have affected Chile since 2010. The location of the earthquake makes the possibility of tsunamis extremely unlikely.
“While initial reports are that the perceived shaking was locally moderate to very strong, local media are not presently reporting any significant damage or loss of life. If this continues to be the case, it will be due to the facts that the earthquake was moderate in size, quite deep, and because of Chile's strong and well enforced building codes.”
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