Magnitude 7.4 earthquake recorded off South America coast, USGS says

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake was recorded on Friday, May 2, off the southern coasts of Argentina and Chile, the US Geological Survey said, Report informs via USA Today.

The earthquake struck along the Drake Passage, which runs between South America and Antarctica, just before 9 a.m. ET. USGS pinpointed the location at 136 miles south of Ushuaia, a town located on the southern tip of Argentina.

The US Tsunami Warning center issued a tsunami threat for the region, saying that tsunami waves of about 3 to 10 feet above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Chile. Waves of a meter or less above tide level are possible for parts of the Antarctica coast.

"The U.S. agency estimated initial tsunami waves could impact coastal regions along the Gulf of Penas in Chile around 3:22 p.m. ET (15:22 UTC). The time between wave crests can vary between several minutes and an hour," the advisory says.

Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service said a coastal area of Magallanes region in the southern tip of the country should be evacuated due to the risk of a tsunami.