Deep earthquake rattles Bolivia

An earthquake hit Bolivia on Monday afternoon.

The epicenter was 11km southeast of the town of Buyuibe, in Luis Calvo province, Chuquisaca department.

The quake was felt in the city of Sucre (pictured), as well as in the departments of La Paz, Cochabamba and Tarija, and as far away as São Paulo, Brazil, among other cities.

People left their homes and workplaces but no damage or casualties were reported, according to local press.

Bolivia's San Calixto seismological observatory said it was a 6.6-magnitude event that struck at a depth of 658km.

The observatory, in a statement, said that because of the depth of the event it was unlikely to have caused serious damage or injuries.

It added that the biggest event on record in Bolivia was an 8.0-magnitude earthquake that struck in 1994 at a depth of 631km. This was felt across South America, in North America and in parts of Asia, the observatory said, adding that the depth of the event meant it caused no damage.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude of Monday's quake was 6.8 and that it struck at a depth of 562km.

Later in the afternoon on Monday, a 4.5 magnitude event was reported in the same area at a depth of 563km, the USGS said.

Read the San Calixto seismological observatory statement (in Spanish)