Recent earthquakes in Bolivia
Bolivia's seismicity ranges from shallow earthquakes along the Andes in the west to some of the deepest earthquakes on Earth beneath the interior, where the subducted Nazca slab sinks into the mantle. In 1994, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck at about 630 km depth — the largest deep-focus earthquake ever recorded. Shallow Andean earthquakes pose the greater hazard to populated areas. In the past 24 hours, Bolivia has recorded 1 earthquake, the largest an M4.5 (9 km WNW of Quicacha, Peru).
Counts include M2.5+ events — the smallest size USGS reports consistently worldwide.
Recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Time (UTC) | Depth | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.5 | Sep 12, 00:18 UTC | 99 km | 9 km WNW of Quicacha, Peru |
| M4.1 | Sep 11, 07:04 UTC | 109 km | 42 km S of Camiña, Chile |
| M4.8 | Sep 10, 12:05 UTC | 373 km | 35 km SSE of Cliza, Bolivia |
| M4.3 | Sep 10, 01:57 UTC | 123 km | 85 km SSE of La Tirana, Chile |
| M4.2 | Sep 9, 04:17 UTC | 116 km | 26 km ENE of Calama, Chile |
| M4.7 | Sep 8, 13:42 UTC | 111 km | 62 km WSW of Ollagüe, Chile |
| M4.2 | Sep 8, 10:33 UTC | 100 km | 87 km SW of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile |
| M4.3 | Sep 8, 01:24 UTC | 168 km | 88 km W of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina |
| M4.8 | Sep 6, 10:39 UTC | 116 km | 33 km NE of Calama, Chile |
| M4.2 | Sep 6, 09:14 UTC | 35 km | 65 km S of Camaná, Peru |
| M3.5 | Sep 6, 01:27 UTC | 50 km | 42 km SSE of La Tirana, Chile |
| M4.3 | Sep 5, 08:13 UTC | 217 km | 55 km E of Ollagüe, Chile |
| M4.4 | Sep 5, 07:28 UTC | 109 km | 77 km ESE of La Tirana, Chile |
Notable recent activity
An M4.8 earthquake struck 35 km SSE of Cliza, Bolivia at 12:05 UTC on Sep 10 at a depth of 373 km.
An M4.8 earthquake struck 33 km NE of Calama, Chile at 10:39 UTC on Sep 6 at a depth of 116 km.
An M4.7 earthquake struck 62 km WSW of Ollagüe, Chile at 13:42 UTC on Sep 8 at a depth of 111 km.
Frequently asked questions
Why does Bolivia have deep earthquakes?
Beneath Bolivia, the Nazca Plate has subducted far into the mantle, and earthquakes occur on this slab at depths of several hundred kilometres. These deep-focus events are felt over great distances but rarely damage the surface.
Does Bolivia get damaging earthquakes?
Bolivia's most hazardous earthquakes are shallow ones along the Andes in the west, near cities such as La Paz and Cochabamba. The 1998 Aiquile earthquake (M6.6), for example, caused deaths and damage in the central valleys.
What was the biggest earthquake in Bolivia?
The June 9, 1994 Bolivia earthquake, magnitude 8.2 at about 630 km depth, is the largest deep-focus earthquake ever recorded. It was felt as far away as North America but caused little damage because of its extreme depth.
Nearby regions
Live data from the USGS earthquake feeds. Magnitudes and depths are automated readings and may be revised. Not for emergency use.