LONDON, DEC 25, (DNA) – An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 struck 225 km (140 miles) southwest of Puerto Montt in southern Chile on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey said.

It was earlier reported as magnitude 7.6. The quake’s depth was about 15 km (nine miles).

The biggest quake to hit Chile in recent years was an 8.8-magnitude tremor that struck the central-southern region in 2010, triggering a tsunami and killing more than 500 people.

Practice drills are frequent in Chile and builders follow strict construction codes, which help to limit death and destruction when tremors hit.=DNA

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