Codelco evacuates workers at smelter, ports after quake

(Updating with more details throughout)

SANTIAGO, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Chile's state copper miner Codelco said it evacuated workers at its Ventanas operation and two ports after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast on Wednesday, the latest natural catastrophe to roil the world's top copper producer.

Copper prices on the London Metal Exchange rose to two-month highs in early Asian trading as traders worried about possible further disruptions to supplies.

The rest of Codelco's operations were unscathed, and other producers in the region, Anglo American PLC (LSE: AAL.L - news) and Antofagasta PLC (Other OTC: ANFGF - news) , said there were no initial reports of damage to personnel or equipment at their operations.

"We have no problems in any divisions. There is no damage to infrastructure or personnel," Codelco said in a tweet.

A magnitude 8.3 earthquake hit off the coast of Chile, shaking buildings in the capital city of Santiago and generating a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru.

Codelco evacuated staff at the refinery and smelter at Las Ventanas operation and from the northern ports of Mejillones and Barquito.

Months earlier miners in the South American nation recovered from heavy rains that caused flooding and shut many mines in the north of the country in April.

Analysts estimate that between about 1 million and 1.5 million tonnes of annualized global mine supply has been lost due to flooding, droughts, power shortages and low ore grades from Chile to Zambia this year. That is about 5 percent of global annual consumption. (Writing by Josephine Mason; editing by Richard Lough and Ken Wills)