Five die, 3 seriously injured in strong earthquake in Chile

BUENOS-AIRES, April 2 (Itar-Tass) - At least five people died, other three were seriously injured in a strong earthquake measured 8.2 points in northern Chile on Wednesday, Chilean Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo said. In his words, four men and one woman died in the quake. They died of heart attack or destruction of some parts of buildings. The interior minister also noted that authorities had partially lifted a tsunami warning in the southern part of the Pacific coast. The earthquake nested at a depth of ten kilometres, the U.S. Geological Survey said earlier. The epicentre was located 86 kilometres northwest of the Chilean port city of Iquique. Thousands of local residents were evacuated over a tsunami threat that will remain for several more hours. The earthquake damaged slightly buildings and roads and disrupted power supply. Looting cases were reported in several settlements. Meanwhile, 300 prisoners escaped from a women’s prison in the city of Iquique. In February 2010 an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 points rocked Chile that triggered a tsunami that claimed 524 human lives. Learn more on itar-tass.com