A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck central Chile, the strongest and longest that many people said they had felt since a huge quake devastated the area two years ago.

A military plane carrying riot police reinforcements landed on Easter Island, and Chile’s Interior Minister said they will continue evicting Rapa Nui islanders who have been squatting in government buildings built on their ancestral properties.

Chile is trying to decide what to do with the three rescue capsules built specially to bring out the 33 miners who were trapped half a mile underground for 69 days.

The earthquake and tsunami that struck Chile last month killed 700 people and caused damages of nearly US$30bn (€21.7bn), the government said today.