NU Online News Service, July 14, 3:38 p.m. EDT

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake shook the Bio-Bio region of Chileearly Wednesday morning but there have been no reports ofsignificant damage, a catastrophe modeler said.

Risk Management Solutions said that according to the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS), approximately 58,000 people were exposedto shaking with intensity deemed "very strong" on the ModifiedMercalli Intensity (MMI) scale.

This level of ground shaking could be expected to cause moderatedamage to resistant structures and moderate or heavy damage tovulnerable structures, RMS said in a statement.

The USGS also reported that the town of Canete, with apopulation of 20,000, was exposed to "strong," shaking on the MMIscale.

RMS noted that Canete is well known for being the town closestto the epicenter of a 1960 9.5 magnitude earthquake, the largestearthquake recorded in history.

RMS said that the epicenter location of the earthquake isapproximately 34 miles southeast of Lebu, Bio-Bio; and 350 milessouth-southwest of Santiago, the Chilean capital.

A spokesperson for RMS said that the modeling firm will not beissuing an insured loss estimate.

AIR Worldwide, a Boston-based catastrophe modeling firm, said itdoes not have an insured loss estimate at this time.

According to USGS, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake 21 miles southeastof this one struck Chile on May 10, 1975 with no reportedfatalities.

Chile has been hit with numerous earthquakes this year,including the disastrous 8.8 magnitude quake that hit off the coastof the Maule region, the region above Bio-Bio, on Feb. 27, killing577 people.

This morning's earthquake hit about 150 miles south-southwest ofwhere the Feb. 27 earthquake hit.