Earthquakes in Chile
In Chile, earthquakes of the most extreme strength occur. In the case of earthquakes with a magnitude of more than 9.0, destruction and devastation can occur within a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. Compared to the size of the country, earthquakes occur with above-average frequency, but rarely with devastating damage.Since 1950, more than 3,100 people died by the direct consequences of earthquakes. There were 47 earthquakes that also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lives, and cause additional damage.
Other natural hazards in Chile:
› Volcanoes
› Tsunamis
› The most severe earthquakes in the world
Severe earthquake on May 13th
In the morning of May 13th, 2024, a devastating earthquake occurred 80 km east of Constitución (Maule) at 05:18 local time. The quake had a magnitude of 5.2 points on the Richter scale and occurred at a depth of about 10 kilometers. Such violent earthquakes occur only rarely. It is the strongest earthquake in Chile in 5 days. As recently as May 8th, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred about 20 km south-southwest of Ollagüe.Most recent events
This list includes the strongest earthquakes recorded in or around Chile by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the past 14 days. Whether an event is listed here depends largely on its magnitude, but also on its distance from inhabited areas. All data refer to the local time. Due to the current situation, we update this page several times a day. The next update is expected around 4:00 UTC.- May 18, 5:28 amMagnitude 4.4: 48 km west of Villa Alemana (Valpara) at a depth of 79.46 km.
- May 18, 4:52 amMagnitude 4.3: 88 km southwest of Tacna at a depth of 120.89 km.
- May 17, 1:39 amMagnitude 4.7: 61 km northeast of Viña del Mar (Valpara) at a depth of ten km.
- May 16, 9:47 pmMagnitude 4.1: 60 km north-northwest of Barrancas, Argentina at a depth of 177.44 km.
- May 16, 12:18 amMagnitude 4.4: 108 km southeast of Copiapó at a depth of 98.22 km.
- May 15, 10:27 pmMagnitude 4.3: 95 km west of Antofagasta at a depth of 86.16 km.
- May 13, 11:18 pmMagnitude 4.8: 92 km east of Vallenar (Atacama) at a depth of 19.93 km.
- May 13, 5:18 amMagnitude 5.2: 80 km east of Constitución (Maule) at a depth of ten km.
- May 8, 6:00 amMagnitude 5.2: 20 km south-southwest of Ollagüe at a depth of 103.73 km.
- May 7, 11:28 pmMagnitude 5.0: West Chile Rise at a depth of ten km.
Earthquakes in Chile since 1950
The strongest earthquake in Chile happened on 05/22/1960 in the Puerto Montt, Valdivia region with a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale. The shifting of tectonic plates in a depth of 17 km resulted in 2000 deaths. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami, leading to further victims and destruction.Date | Region | Depth | Magnitude | Deaths | Total damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
12/27/2020 | Off Coast Central | 10 km | 6.7 | 0 | |
09/29/2019 | Concepcion | 11 km | 6.8 | 1 | |
09/26/2019 | South Central | 129 km | 6.1 | 1 | |
06/14/2019 | Coquimbo | 11 km | 6.4 | 0 | |
01/20/2019 | Coquimbo, La Serena | 63 km | 6.7 | 2 | |
08/02/2017 | Santiago | 5.4 | 1 | ||
04/24/2017 | Valparaiso | 22 km | 6.9 | 0 | |
12/25/2016 | Chile | 7.6 | 0 | ||
11/11/2015 | La Serena | 37 km | 6.9 | 0 | |
09/16/2015 | Central | 26 km | 8.3 | 7 | |
10/09/2014 | Easter Island Region | 44 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
04/03/2014 | Northern (Iquique) | 11 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
04/01/2014 | Northern (Iquique, Alto Hospicio) | 26 km | 8.2 | 7 | |
03/16/2014 | Iquique | 6.7 | 0 | ||
05/14/2012 | Arica; Peru (Tacna) | 40 km | 6.3 | 0 | |
04/17/2012 | Valparaiso | 15 km | 6.7 | 2 | |
03/25/2012 | Parral, Santiago | 6 km | 7.2 | 1 | |
02/11/2011 | Off Coast Central | 30 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
03/11/2010 | Rancagua | 43 km | 6.9 | 0 | |
02/27/2010 | Maule, Concepcion, Talcahuano | 11 km | 8.8 | 402 | |
12/15/2007 | Off Central Coast, Vina Del Mar, Valparaiso | 27 km | 5.9 | 0 | |
11/14/2007 | Tocopilla, Maria Elena | 50 km | 7.7 | 2 | |
04/21/2007 | Southern | 46 km | 6.2 | 2 | |
08/14/2005 | Tarapaca | 40 km | 5.8 | 0 | |
06/13/2005 | Tarapaca | 33 km | 7.7 | 11 | |
06/15/2004 | Carahue, Imperial, Temuco | 31 km | 5.9 | 0 | |
05/03/2004 | Canete | 50 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
06/20/2003 | Ovalle, Coquimbo; Argentina (San Juan) | 41 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
04/18/2002 | Copiapo, Taltal | 36 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
04/01/2002 | Central (Coquimbo, La Serena, Ovalle) | 32 km | 6.4 | 0 | |
01/14/2002 | Northern (Cuya, Huara, Iquique, Pozo Almonte) | 26 km | 5.6 | 0 | |
10/15/1997 | Pueblo Nuevo, Coquimbo, La Chimba | 33 km | 7.1 | 8 | |
09/05/1996 | Easter Island Region | 14 km | 6.9 | 0 | |
11/01/1995 | Near Central Coast | 32 km | 6.7 | 0 | |
07/30/1995 | Antofagasta, Calama, Mejillones | 23 km | 8.0 | 3 | |
02/05/1988 | Taltal | 2 km | 6.7 | 0 | |
08/08/1987 | Arica, Iquique | 56 km | 6.9 | 5 | |
03/05/1987 | Antofagasta, Arica | 5 km | 7.3 | 1 | |
12/19/1986 | Central, Valparaiso | 29 km | 5.0 | 0 | |
04/09/1985 | Near Central Coast, Santiago-Valparaiso | 59 km | 7.5 | 2 | |
03/17/1985 | Valparaiso, Vina Del Mar | 38 km | 6.6 | 1 | |
03/03/1985 | Central Coast, San Antonio, Valparaiso | 9 km | 8.0 | 180 | |
10/04/1983 | Northern (Copoapo-Chanaral) | 13 km | 7.3 | 5 | |
10/16/1981 | Off Central Coast, Las Cruces | 42 km | 7.5 | 1 | |
08/03/1978 | Northern (Copiapo-Taltai) | 17 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
11/30/1976 | Pozo Almonte, Oficina Victoria, Arica | 57 km | 7.3 | 1 | |
05/10/1975 | Central | 38 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
03/13/1975 | Coquimbo, La Serena | 42 km | 6.9 | 2 | |
08/18/1974 | La Union, Valdivia | 12 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
10/05/1973 | Valparaiso, La Ligua, Santiago | 51 km | 6.7 | 0 | |
12/29/1972 | Central | 1 km | 5.4 | 0 | |
06/08/1972 | Central | 41 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
07/09/1971 | Central | 18 km | 7.8 | 83 | |
06/17/1971 | Catalina, Antofagasta | 40 km | 6.3 | 1 | |
11/28/1970 | Northern | 40 km | 6.0 | 0 | |
06/19/1970 | Northern | 13 km | 6.4 | 0 | |
06/14/1970 | Southern | 6.0 | 0 | ||
12/21/1967 | Northern | 23 km | 7.5 | 1 | |
11/15/1967 | Northern | 54 km | 5.9 | 0 | |
12/28/1966 | Taltal, Catalina | 7 km | 7.8 | 3 | |
10/03/1965 | Southern | 56 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
03/28/1965 | Central | 7.3 | 400 | ||
03/22/1965 | Central | 28 km | 6.0 | 0 | |
02/23/1965 | Northern | 46 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
02/14/1962 | Central | 7.3 | 0 | ||
10/18/1961 | Valdivia, Curico | 57 km | 6.5 | 0 | |
11/01/1960 | Concepcion | 59 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
05/22/1960 | Puerto Montt, Valdivia | 17 km | 9.5 | 2000 | |
05/21/1960 | Central | 50 km | 8.2 | 0 | |
09/04/1958 | Chile-Argentina | 16 km | 6.8 | 7 | |
07/29/1957 | Antofagasta | 14 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
12/18/1956 | Antofagasta | 3 km | 0.0 | 0 | |
01/08/1956 | Chile | 13 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
04/19/1955 | Chile | 5 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
12/07/1953 | Northern | 7.4 | 3 | ||
05/06/1953 | Chillan, Concepcion | 43 km | 7.6 | 9 | |
12/09/1950 | Chile-Argentina | 48 km | 8.0 | 1 | |
01/30/1950 | Southern | 32 km | 7.0 | 0 |
These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Data have been summarized and translated.