There have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries. A tsunami alert was not issued following the quake. Although, a landslide was reported by a witness via Twitter.
Over recent decades, fresh fruit has emerged as regional export item in the Atacama region, when the Copiapó and Huasco valleys joined Chile’s fruit-growing boom. Thanks to the sunny climate, fruit ripens earlier than in the rest of the country and reaches northern hemisphere markets first.
Grapes are the main crop and, on a smaller scale, tomatoes, peppers, onions, broad beans, citrus fruits, nectarines and apricots.