Recent earthquakes in Chile
Chile lies along the boundary where the Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate at roughly 7 cm per year, one of the fastest and most productive subduction zones on Earth. This Peru-Chile (Atacama) Trench has generated more great earthquakes than any other region. The 1960 Valdivia earthquake here, magnitude 9.5, is the largest ever instrumentally recorded. In the past 24 hours, Chile 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 |
| M5.0 | Sep 9, 10:06 UTC | 10 km | 53 km W of Cafayate, Argentina |
| 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 |
| M4.3 | Sep 7, 22:25 UTC | 111 km | 14 km E of San Clemente, Chile |
| M4.5 | Sep 7, 21:54 UTC | 91 km | 129 km ENE of Taltal, Chile |
| 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 |
| M5.1 | Sep 5, 11:37 UTC | 10 km | 69 km E of Antofagasta de la Sierra, Argentina |
| 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
A moderate M5.1 earthquake struck 69 km E of Antofagasta de la Sierra, Argentina at 11:37 UTC on Sep 5 at a depth of 10 km.
A moderate M5.0 earthquake struck 53 km W of Cafayate, Argentina at 10:06 UTC on Sep 9 at a depth of 10 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.
Frequently asked questions
How many earthquakes does Chile get?
Chile experiences hundreds of felt earthquakes each year and a magnitude 8 or larger event roughly once a decade on average. Nearly all stem from the Nazca Plate grinding beneath South America off the coast.
Why does Chile have such large earthquakes?
The Nazca Plate subducts rapidly beneath Chile along a long, relatively straight offshore boundary. This geometry lets strain build over broad areas and release in very large megathrust ruptures.
What was the biggest earthquake in Chile?
The May 22, 1960 Valdivia earthquake, magnitude 9.5, is the largest earthquake ever recorded on instruments anywhere in the world. It ruptured roughly 1,000 km of the plate boundary and sent a tsunami across the Pacific.
Nearby regions
Live data from the USGS earthquake feeds. Magnitudes and depths are automated readings and may be revised. Not for emergency use.