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Reuters
Reuters
Business

Argentina quake of magnitude 6.8 shakes homes, buildings; no injuries reported

People stand next to the debris of their home destroyed in an earthquake, in Sarmiento, in San Juan, Argentina January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Mariano Arias

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck west-central Argentina on Monday, followed by at least five aftershocks that shook buildings and sent products tumbling off supermarket shelves, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The quake hit at a depth of 10 km (6 miles), the German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said, with its epicentre located 40 km (25 miles) south of the province of San Juan.

The aftershocks ranged in magnitude from 3.5 to 5, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said.

A man looks at a damaged wall in his home after an earthquake hit the area, in Media Agua, San Juan, Argentina January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Mariano Arias

Posts on social media showed many homes and buildings shaking, with the seismic activity leaving cracks in roads, while glass bottles fell off the shelves in shops.

San Juan Governor Sergio Uñac urged people to remain calm following the earthquake and called on them to reach out in case they need any assistance.

"Let us put into practice all the measures we have learned to prevent incidents, while we are committed to knowing the impact of the (earthquake) to collaborate in everything necessary," he said https://bit.ly/3qyOf4a in a tweet, advising those who suffered damage or in need of assistance to call the emergency number 911.

A young man recovers items after his home was destroyed in an earthquake, in Pocito, in San Juan, Argentina January 19, 2021. REUTERS/Mariano Arias

No tsunami warning was issued, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System said.

(Reporting by Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Clarence Fernandez & Shri Navaratnam)

A damaged road is seen after an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck west-central Argentina on Monday, in San Juan City, San Juan, Argentina January 19, 2021, in this picture obtained from social media. Mandatory credit SAN JUAN AL DIA DIARIO DIGITAL/via REUTERS
A damaged wall is seen after an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck west-central Argentina on Monday, in San Juan City, San Juan, Argentina January 18, 2021, in this picture obtained from social media. Picture taken January 18, 2021. Mandatory credit SAN JUAN AL DIA DIARIO DIGITAL/via REUTERS
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