NOVOSIBIRSK, April 2 (RIA Novosti) - A recurrence of a large earthquake near Chile's Pacific coast, similar to the one that hit Tuesday night, is unlikely in the near future, said Victor Seleznev, director of the Geophysical Service of the Siberian Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"Such earthquakes do not repeat," Seleznev told RIA Novosti, adding that minor shocks known as aftershocks are possible.
"It is a normal occurrence [for this region], powerful earthquakes often happen there. Naturally, the aftershocks will be noticeable. After this, the earthquakes will repeat after a few years," said Seleznev.
An 8.2-magnitude earthquake hit off the northern part of Chile's Pacific coast on April 1. A tsunami hit some areas, reaching 2.1 meters (6.9 feet) against the shores of South America. Six people were confirmed dead following the incident.
The epicenter of the earthquake was approximately 95 kilometers (59 miles) north west of Chilean city of Iquique. President Michelle Bachelet declared Pisagua, Arica and other parts of northern Chile hit by the offshore quake to be disaster zones.
