Major 7.1 magnitude quake hits Chile, no injuries

SANTIAGO, (Reuters) – A major earthquake of 7.1  magnitude hit central Chile today, but there were no  immediate reports of serious damage or casualties, local  emergency officials said.
“Up until now we don’t have any information of deaths or  major damage. A tsunami alert is ruled out,” said Felipe Plaza,  duty officer at Chile’s Onemi emergency office.
Another emergency official in the Araucania region close to  the epicenter some 43 miles (69 km) northwest of Temuco, said  the quake had hit telephone communications but that all other  public services were working with as usual.
In February last year, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake  triggered a tsunami that devastated coastal towns, killed  hundreds of people and damaged infrastructure across much of  south-central Chile.
Chile, the world’s top copper producer, has seen its  economy surge on heavy spending to rebuild cities ravaged by  the February quake and record prices for its main export.
Emergency officials in Chile ruled out a tsunami after  Sunday’s quake and operations were normal at the Andean  division of Chilean copper miner Codelco after the tremor, a  spokesman said.
A spokesman for state energy company ENAP said operations  were also running as usual at the Bio Bio oil refinery in the  area.