November 14, 2007 Earthquake: Tocopilla, Maria Elena, Chile

On November 14, 2007, at 15:40:53 UTC a magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred about 40 km (25 mi) east-southeast of Tocopilla, Chile. The earthquake generated a small tsunami that was observed on the coast of Chile.

Two people killed, at least 45 injured and buildings

damaged (VIII) at Tocopilla. Twenty people injured and

buildings damaged (VII) at Maria Elena. Several

thousand homes destroyed or damaged, displacing about

15,000 people in the Maria Elena-Tocopilla area.

Buildings damaged (VII) at Antofagasta and Calama.

Power and telephone outages occurred at Antofagasta

and Iquique. Felt (VIII) at Quillagua; (VII) at

Baquedano and Mejillones; (VI) at Alto Hospicio,

Arica, Huara, Iquique and Taltal; (V) at Caldera,

Chanaral, Copiapo and Tierra Amarilla; (III) at Alto

del Carmen, Coquimbo, Freirina, Huasco, La Higuera, La

Serena and Vallenar; (II) at Santiago, Valparaiso and

Vina del Mar. Felt from Arica to Santiago and in parts of Bolivia and Peru.

This earthquake resulted from the release of stresses generated by the subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate beneath the South American plate. In this region, known as the Peru-Chile subduction zone, the Nazca Plate thrusts beneath South America at a rate of approximately 79mm/year in an east-north-east direction. This earthquake indicates subduction-related thrusting, likely on the interface between these two plates.

(above from reference #1053)