Russia is preparing to send two planes carrying doctors, supplies and equipment, including a mobile air hospital, to earthquake-stricken Chile, a Russian emergencies official said on Friday.

An earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale hit Chile on Thursday, the same day Sebastian Pinera took office as president.

Three tremors occurred at 11:39 local time (14:39 GMT) 150 kilometers southwest of the country's capital, Santiago. The quake's epicenter was at a depth of 35 kilometers.

The president declared a state of emergency in the region, which is home to some 780,000 people. Chile's navy also issued a tsunami alert.

On February 27, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurred to the north of Concepcion. According to official reports, 497 people died as a result of the tremor.

The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks and tsunamis leaving some 2 million Chileans homeless and damaging about 1.5 million houses.

MOSCOW, March 12 (RIA Novosti)