Santiago, Jan 20 : A strong 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit north-central Chile on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck at a depth of 53 kilometers (33 miles) with an epicenter some 15 km southwest of Coquimbo, according to the USGS.

The earthquake, which hit at 0132 GMT (Sunday), was felt in Valparaiso, O'Higgins and the region of the capital Santiago, as well as in Atacama and Coquimbo up north.

Thousands of homes lost power, which showed how intense the quake was, according to Ricardo Toro of the National Emergency Office. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile was the strongest ever recorded, at 9.5, on the magnitude scale, according to the USGS.

Chile lies on what is known as the Ring of Fire -- an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested five of a family for allegedly assaulting a police officer and snatching his service pistol during a raid in the Sultanpuri area, an official said on Wednesday.

The accused are Rajender (50), his sons Ritik (24), Sachin (29), Abhishek (26), and his daughter Komal (22). 

The incident occurred on September 2, when a team from the Anti-Narcotics Task Force arrested Alka, wife of Rajender, for possession of heroin, police said.

During the raid, Alka's family members attacked a police officer with sticks and bricks and snatched his service pistol, mobile phone, and wallet. However, the officer managed to recover his service pistol, they said.

Police said that an FIR was registered and an investigation was launched.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested the accused, absconding since the incident, from a flat in Raghubir Nagar in Delhi.