国际英语新闻：No strong aftershocks at quake epicenter, tsunami warnings canceled

BEIJING, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- More than 300 people have been killed, production at four copper mines and two oil refineries was halted, transport and communication were interrupted in Chile after an 8.8-magnitude megaquake hit the country on Saturday.

The earthquake, which left 15 people missing and a large number of people homeless and affected lives of millions of Chileans, also caused lack of drinking water and foods, collapse of buildings, and interruption of electricity supplies.

Analysts said that the suspension of production in the mines may impact the economy of the world's largest copper supplier, which produced 5.41 million tons of copper in 2009.

After the major earthquake, at least 25 aftershocks ranging from 5 to 6.9 in magnitude on the Richter scale have been registered.

Residents in Chile's Concepcion, the epicenter of the megaquake, have stayed out of their homes though there have been no strong aftershocks since Saturday, an eyewitness told Xinhua.

Some 100 people were trapped in a collapsed building in the second largest Chilean city of Consepcion following Saturday's earthquake.

However, the U.S. Geological Survey said a new 6.1-magnitude aftershock struck off the coast of central Chile Sunday morning. The epicenter was 35 km underground and 60 km north the city of Talca.

Talca is about 275 km south of the Chilean capital of Santiago.

Saturday's megaquake had triggered tsunami waves across the Pacific Ocean, affecting countries and regions such as Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Tonga and the Samoa Islands.