
The quake hit at about 0500 GMT, about 60 kilometres (40 miles) northwest of the city of Concepcion and at a depth of 17 kilometres, the agency said.
There was no immediate word on damage or injuries.
Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.
It sits on the Pacific Ocean's "Ring of Fire," a seismically turbulent region where many of Earth's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
In 2010, an 8.8-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami killed more than 500 people.