The Chilean government lifted the tsunami alert in the center-south coast of the country after ruling out the presence of high waves which could be produced by the 7.2-magnitude on Thursday, Deputy Interior Minister Rodrigo Ubilla said.

"The alert has been lifted based on a recommendation of the Army," Ubilla said, who took charge on Thursday together with Chile's new President Sebastian Pinera.

The alert was issued after a strong earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale shook the country, which had its epicenter in Rancagua city, some 150 km south to the capital Santiago. This is the biggest aftershock since the 8.8-magnitude quake on February 27.

The earthquake on February 27 killed about 500 people and left tens of thousands of people homeless. Most of the deaths were due to an ensuing tsunami on the coasts of Maule and Bio Bio regions, because the tsunami alert was not issued on time.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2010)