7.7 Magnitude earthquake rock northern Chile

The 7.7 magnitude quake, centered near the desert village of Quillagua in the foothills of the Andes, was so strong that it shook the capital Santiago, 780 miles away, and was felt on the other side of the continent in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The quake, which struck around midday Wednesday, was followed by several aftershocks, including three larger than magnitude 5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake occurred in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where the Nazca tectonic plate is shoving itself beneath the South American plate.