Officials are fearing a huge tsunami that could be heading towards Chile after a massive magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Argentina.

The warning comes after the quake hit nearly 200 km south of Puerto Williams, near Chile’s southern tip at 9 am local time.

As per the US Geological Survey, the quake struck at a depth of 10km, with four more smaller aftershocks being recorded in the area shortly after this.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that Chile risks facing tsunami waves that could be up to 9 feet tall, while Antarctica faces potential waves of up to 3 feet.

Chile’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service estimated that waves would reach bases in Antarctica and cities in Chile’s extreme south in the coming hours.

Chilean disaster authorities explained how the coastal area of the Magallanes Region in Southern Chile would need to be evacuated due to the tsunami risk. Video footage from this region showed civilians slowly making their way out of the danger zone.

Another clip, this time taken from the city of Punta Arenas, showed so many people evacuating the city, along with dozens of vehicles that were speeding out of the region.

National threat evaluation explained how the massive waves would appear within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. This puts the Falkland Islands out of harm’s way.