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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Chile

Chile has catalogued 13,888 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 6th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.8.

Chile ranks 6th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 661 M4+ events a year alongside 509 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. 11 of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

13,888
M4+ events (since 2005)
509
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.8
Strongest
~661
M4+ per year

The verdict

Chile is one of the world's most seismically active places, with 13,888 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 509 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.8.

1960
busiest year (30 major events)
37 km
average recorded event depth
90%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Philippines sits immediately above at 14,420 events and Russia sits immediately below at 12,611.

Follow Chile events (RSS)

ComCat country tape

Event tape CHILE · Chile M4+ · 6th/187

Chile · 13,888 M4+ · max M8.8 · 509 M6+

  • SHAL 13,888
  • PCT 6th/187
  • VS-PEER M8.8
  • COMCAT 509
  • TAPE near Philippines
  • EPIC 90% shallow

Stamps derive from this country's USGS ComCat row (M4+ book, rank, peak magnitude, M6+ record, ladder neighbour, depth/peak year), not a hazard forecast. PlainQuake is informational only - not professional advice and not a substitute for official USGS guidance. See our disclaimer. Verify with USGS ComCat → · Read with methodology → · How earthquakes are measured → · Reading earthquake data → · All country catalog rows → · Countries ranked →

Observed impact record

What ComCat observed after earthquakes in Chile

USGS recorded Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) for 407 events in this catalogued record; their average observed intensity was MMI 6.1. These are only events with an observation, not an estimate of future shaking or a safety rating.

MMI observations
407
Average observed MMI
6.1
PAGER alerts / tsunami flags
91 / 20

Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) GeoJSON impact fields. Missing MMI, alert, and tsunami values remain unreported rather than being treated as zero.

1. Tonga10,8842. Russia12,6113. Chile13,8884. Philippines14,4205. Papua New Gu…15,7146. United States17,353
M4+ catalog count for Chile and nearest-count peers. Source: USGS ComCat, 2005–present.

Where Chile sits in the catalog

Rank 6th of 187 tracked countries (97th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Philippines sits immediately above at 14,420 events and Russia sits immediately below at 12,611.

Chile's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

13,888 Top 3% higher than 97% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 4 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Chile 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Chile by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Chile's most active year for major earthquakes was 1960 (30 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present

How Chile earthquake activity changed recently

Year M4+ events YoY change Global YoY
2026 4 +33.3% -43.9%
2025 3 0.0% +29.3%
2024 3 0.0% -12.6%
2023 3 -40.0% +3.0%
2022 5 +66.7% -8.9%

Chile's M4+ activity rose faster than the global average in 2026: +33.3% locally vs -43.9% globally, a 77.2-point gap.

Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ = magnitude 4.0 or greater. YoY = year-on-year change. Global column uses the worldwide total from the same catalog.

0%100%1.2%
Share of Chile's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

161 of 13,888 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 509 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Chile.

How the 509 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 87.0%

M8+

11

2.2%

M7.0-7.9

55

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

443

87.0%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 509 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 37 km.

Chile89.6%10.4%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Chile's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

456

89.6% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

53

10.4% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Chile

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
8.8 2010 Maule, Chile Earthquake 22.9 km
8.5 94 km ENE of Vallenar, Chile 70.0 km
8.3 48 km W of Illapel, Chile 22.4 km
8.2 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
8.2 121 km SSE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 113.9 km
8.2 The 1906 Valparaiso, Chile Earthquake 35.0 km
8.1 4 km ESE of Cañete, Chile 25.0 km
8.1 45 km NNW of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
8.0 60 km W of Diego de Almagro, Chile 40.0 km
8.0 36 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile 45.6 km

Significant earthquake record (509 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Chile since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.0 33 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile 25.0 km
6.9 34 km ENE of Calama, Chile 109.0 km
6.2 71 km W of Vallenar, Chile 24.0 km
6.1 28 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.4 45 km SW of Diego de Almagro, Chile 75.0 km
6.0 98 km S of Calama, Chile 96.0 km
6.1 84 km NNW of Calama, Chile 99.0 km
6.4 56 km ESE of Molina, Chile 109.0 km
6.3 239 km WNW of Cochrane, Chile 10.0 km
7.4 41 km ESE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 127.3 km
6.6 80 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile 34.0 km
6.3 38 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 36.0 km
6.3 105 km WSW of Constitución, Chile 26.0 km
6.2 Near the coast of Bio-Bio, Chile 18.0 km
6.1 156 km WNW of Ancud, Chile 20.0 km
6.1 22 km NW of Tocopilla, Chile 54.0 km
6.2 Antofagasta, Chile 112.0 km
6.4 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 24.5 km
6.1 295 km WSW of Hanga Roa, Chile 10.0 km
6.4 73 km W of Talcahuano, Chile 18.8 km
6.0 72 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile 22.0 km
6.7 146 km WNW of Corral, Chile 10.0 km
6.0 75 km NNE of Calama, Chile 114.0 km
6.1 115 km E of Iquique, Chile 105.0 km
6.1 100 km NW of Constitución, Chile 22.0 km
6.0 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.2 82 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile 51.0 km
6.3 40 km NW of Ovalle, Chile 30.0 km
6.5 94 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 16.0 km
6.3 78 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 16.2 km
6.8 86 km NW of Vallenar, Chile 21.0 km
6.8 48 km SW of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 112.0 km
6.0 29 km W of Arica, Chile 38.0 km
6.1 29 km SW of Illapel, Chile 53.0 km
6.7 70 km WSW of Constitución, Chile 11.0 km
6.8 96 km SW of San Antonio, Chile 25.0 km
6.4 72 km W of Coquimbo, Chile 11.0 km
6.7 10 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 63.0 km
6.2 115 km NE of Iquique, Chile 102.0 km
6.2 56 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 66.0 km
6.3 100 km ESE of Arica, Chile 116.0 km
6.3 58 km E of Arica, Chile 85.0 km
6.9 40 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 28.0 km
6.0 37 km W of Valparaíso, Chile 21.0 km
6.3 62 km SE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile 155.0 km
7.6 41 km SW of Quellón, Chile 38.0 km
6.0 42 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile 20.0 km
6.3 21 km SE of Curicó, Chile 90.0 km
6.0 88 km WSW of San Antonio, Chile 12.6 km
6.1 54 km WNW of Diego de Almagro, Chile 72.0 km
6.0 105 km WSW of Coquimbo, Chile 12.0 km
6.3 37 km W of Ovalle, Chile 29.0 km
6.2 65 km N of Taltal, Chile 34.0 km
6.9 85 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile 10.0 km
6.9 81 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile 12.0 km
6.8 39 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.2 107 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile 13.0 km
6.3 26 km SSW of Ovalle, Chile 46.0 km
6.0 22 km NNW of Illapel, Chile 58.0 km
6.6 22 km WSW of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
6.1 54 km W of Illapel, Chile 30.0 km
6.2 79 km W of La Ligua, Chile 18.0 km
6.1 79 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile 6.0 km
6.2 92 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile 8.0 km
6.7 61 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 23.0 km
6.5 54 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 27.0 km
6.4 70 km SW of Ovalle, Chile 42.3 km
7.0 25 km WNW of Illapel, Chile 28.4 km
6.1 71 km W of Illapel, Chile 35.0 km
6.1 55 km WSW of Illapel, Chile 19.1 km
6.4 54 km W of Illapel, Chile 26.7 km
8.3 48 km W of Illapel, Chile 22.4 km
6.4 74 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile 11.0 km
6.0 50 km E of Calama, Chile 124.0 km
6.2 75 km NW of Tomé, Chile 13.0 km
6.4 23 km WNW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile 32.0 km
6.2 71 km SW of Iquique, Chile 13.8 km
6.3 70 km SW of Iquique, Chile 13.7 km
6.4 79 km SW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
7.7 53 km SW of Iquique, Chile 22.4 km
6.5 45 km WSW of Iquique, Chile 24.1 km
6.9 90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 28.4 km
8.2 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 25.0 km
6.3 93 km NW of Iquique, Chile 21.0 km
6.2 90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 20.0 km
6.4 79 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 21.0 km
6.7 63 km WNW of Iquique, Chile 20.0 km
6.6 41 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile 27.0 km
6.2 89 km W of Constitución, Chile 41.5 km
6.4 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.8 54 km N of Vallenar, Chile 45.0 km
6.1 73 km SW of Vallenar, Chile 63.0 km
6.1 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 9.0 km
6.0 86 km ESE of Colbún, Chile 8.0 km
6.3 Off the coast of Aisen, Chile 10.0 km
6.7 22 km NW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile 29.0 km
7.1 23 km NE of Constitución, Chile 40.7 km
6.1 24 km NNW of Tomé, Chile 20.0 km
6.1 76 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile 20.0 km
6.0 32 km SW of San Antonio, Chile 20.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 509 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Chile-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Montserrat

4 M4+ events · strongest M4.1

M4.1

Panama

708 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Kenya

14 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Tuvalu

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.8

M4.8

Antarctica

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.5

M4.5

Mayotte

232 M4+ events · strongest M5.9

M5.9

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Chile-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Showing 6 of 186 countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Nepal

696 M4+ events

M7.8

Vanuatu

7,620 M4+ events

M7.8

Turkey

2,252 M4+ events

M7.8

Fiji

4,530 M4+ events

M7.9

Cayman Islands

109 M4+ events

M7.6

United States

17,353 M4+ events

M8.2

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 317,293 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,444 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-26.