Chile quakes

TWO strong earthquakes have rattled nerves in central Chile, but there are no reports of new damage to a region devastated by February’s big quake.

Authorities say people in the beach town of Tirua fled to high ground for fear of a possible tsunami, which did not occur. The US Geological Survey says a magnitude-5.3 quake hit at 4.21am on Wednesday. It was followed by a magnitude-6.5 shake 11 minutes later.

The stronger one was centred about 560km south of Santiago, Chile’s capital.