<P> The earthquake triggered a tsunami which devastated several coastal towns in south - central Chile and damaged the port at Talcahuano . Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, and the wave caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California and in the Tōhoku region of Japan, where damage to the fisheries business was estimated at ¥ 6.26 billion (US $66.7 million). The earthquake also generated a blackout that affected 93 percent of the Chilean population and which went on for several days in some locations . President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" and sent military troops to take control of the most affected areas . According to official sources, 525 people lost their lives, 25 people went missing and about 9% of the population in the affected regions lost their homes . </P> <P> On 10 March, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost insurance companies between 4 and 7 billion dollars . The rival German - based Munich Re AG made the same estimate . Earthquake's losses to the economy of Chile are estimated at US $15--30 billion . </P> <P> According to the USGS the epicenter of the earthquake was about 3 km (1.9 miles) off the coast of Pelluhue commune in the Maule Region . This is about 6 km (3.7 miles) west of the village of Chovellén, 15 km (9.3 miles) southwest of the town of Pelluhue and at a point approximately 100 km (62 miles) away from the following four provincial capitals: Talca (to the north - east), Linares (to the east), Chillán (to the south - east) and Concepción (to the south). Chile's Seismological Service located the quake's epicenter at about 34 km (21 miles) off the coast of Ñuble Province in the Biobío Region . This is 60 km (37 miles) north of Concepción and 170 km (110 miles) south - west of Talca . </P> <P> The earthquake took place along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, at a location where they converge at a rate of eighty millimeters (3 in) a year . This earthquake was characterized by a thrust - faulting focal mechanism, caused by the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American Tectonic Plates . The end - regions of the rupture zone coincided with the Andean oroclines of Maipo (33 ° S) and Arauco (37 ° S). This has been interpreted as suggesting a link between upper plate (South American plate) structure and rupture length . </P>

Where did the chile earthquake happen in 2010
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