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SANTIAGO, Chile – More than a dozen moderate earthquakes have rattled the Chilean coast within just over two hours, the most powerful of them registered at magnitude 5.9.

The continued rattling prompted some cities to suspend classes and give workers the afternoon off. There are no reports of damage or injury.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the strongest hit at 12:30 p.m. (1530 GMT). That magnitude 5.9 shake was centred about 26 miles (41.5 kilometres) southwest of Valparaiso and about 65 miles (110 kilometres) west of the capital, Santiago.

1:41 Quake of magnitude 7.7 strikes in southern Chile Quake of magnitude 7.7 strikes in southern Chile

It was followed within about two hours by 15 other quakes of magnitude 3.8 to 5.7, centred in the same region.

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A magnitude 6.9 quake shook the same general region on Monday.