7.8 Quake Hits Chile; 3 Killed, 18 Hurt
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SANTIAGO, Chile — Thousands of residents poured into the streets in panic after a powerful earthquake rocked a 1,000-mile stretch of northern Chile early Sunday. At least three people were killed, and 18 were injured.
But considering the strength of the 7.8-magnitude quake--centered in the Pacific Ocean 12 miles west of Antofagasta--the casualties were few and damage was minor, police said.
A 32-year-old man was killed when a wall collapsed on him in Antofagasta, a port city about 660 miles north of Santiago, a police commander said. A 19-year-old Boy Scout leader also died when he fell into a ravine, police said. The third person was killed in his bed when a nearby home collapsed and rolled down a hillside onto his, police said.
The heart attack death of a 75-year-old man may also have been related to the 1:11 a.m. earthquake, the commander said.
The National Emergency Office said 18 people were hurt.
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