Major earthquake rocks the South Atlantic Ocean far off the coast of Argentina

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BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A major, preliminary magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck in the South Atlantic Ocean late Thursday, the United States Geological Survey reported.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said there was no longer a threat of a tsunami after an earlier advisory by Chilean authorities for parts of Antarctica. No evacuation orders were immediately declared for Chile or Argentina, the two countries closest to the quake.

The temblor happened at 11:16 p.m. local time in Argentina about 710 kilometers (441 miles) southeast of Ushuaia, Argentina, in the Drake Passage, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake had a preliminary depth of 10.8 kilometers (6.7 miles).

The Drake Passage connects the South Atlantic and South Pacific oceans between the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Though less quake-prone than other stretches of Chile’s coast, the Drake Passage straddles a highly active seismic and geological zone.

The area is very remote and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.