Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Chile

Chile ranks 6th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team

13,817
M4+ events (since 2005): 507
Major M6+ (since 1900): M8.5
Strongest: ~658
M4+ per year

The verdict

Chile has logged 13,817 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 507 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.5.

#6
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 13,817
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M8.5
strongest earthquake on record: 507
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

2015

23
2016

7
2017

4
2018

3
2019

6
2020

11
2021

3
2022

5
2023

3
2024

3
2025

3
2026

4

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.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 507 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Chile.

M8+

1.8%

M7.0-7.9

10.8%

M6.0-6.9

443

87.4%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 507 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 38 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

454

89.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

10.5% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Chile

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
8.5	94 km ENE of Vallenar, Chile	70.0 km	Nov 11, 1922
8.3	48 km W of Illapel, Chile	22.4 km	Sep 16, 2015
8.2	93 km NW of Iquique, Chile	25.0 km	Apr 1, 2014
8.2	121 km SSE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile	113.9 km	Dec 9, 1950
8.1	4 km ESE of Cañete, Chile	25.0 km	May 21, 1960
8.1	45 km NNW of Illapel, Chile	35.0 km	Apr 6, 1943
8.0	60 km W of Diego de Almagro, Chile	40.0 km	Dec 4, 1918
8.0	36 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile	45.6 km	Jul 30, 1995
8.0	25 km WSW of Valparaíso, Chile	33.0 km	Mar 3, 1985
7.8	26 km WNW of San Carlos, Chile	35.0 km	Jan 25, 1939

Significant earthquake record (507 events)

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

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.0	33 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile	25.0 km	May 31, 2026
6.9	34 km ENE of Calama, Chile	109.0 km	May 25, 2026
6.2	71 km W of Vallenar, Chile	24.0 km	Mar 13, 2026
6.1	28 km SW of Ovalle, Chile	46.0 km	Feb 12, 2026
6.4	45 km SW of Diego de Almagro, Chile	75.0 km	Jun 6, 2025
6.0	98 km S of Calama, Chile	96.0 km	Mar 6, 2025
6.1	84 km NNW of Calama, Chile	99.0 km	Jan 2, 2025
6.4	56 km ESE of Molina, Chile	109.0 km	Dec 13, 2024
6.3	239 km WNW of Cochrane, Chile	10.0 km	Nov 8, 2024
7.4	41 km ESE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile	127.3 km	Jul 19, 2024
6.6	80 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile	34.0 km	Oct 31, 2023
6.3	38 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile	36.0 km	Sep 6, 2023
6.3	105 km WSW of Constitución, Chile	26.0 km	Mar 30, 2023
6.2	Near the coast of Bio-Bio, Chile	18.0 km	Nov 13, 2022
6.1	156 km WNW of Ancud, Chile	20.0 km	Sep 23, 2022
6.1	22 km NW of Tocopilla, Chile	54.0 km	Jul 28, 2022
6.2	Antofagasta, Chile	112.0 km	Jul 27, 2022
6.4	Off the coast of Aisen, Chile	24.5 km	Jul 15, 2022
6.1	295 km WSW of Hanga Roa, Chile	10.0 km	Dec 3, 2021
6.4	73 km W of Talcahuano, Chile	18.8 km	Sep 21, 2021
6.0	72 km WSW of Vallenar, Chile	22.0 km	Jul 4, 2021
6.7	146 km WNW of Corral, Chile	10.0 km	Dec 27, 2020
6.0	75 km NNE of Calama, Chile	114.0 km	Dec 14, 2020
6.1	115 km E of Iquique, Chile	105.0 km	Dec 6, 2020
6.1	100 km NW of Constitución, Chile	22.0 km	Nov 22, 2020
6.0	Off the coast of Aisen, Chile	10.0 km	Nov 3, 2020
6.2	82 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile	51.0 km	Sep 11, 2020
6.3	40 km NW of Ovalle, Chile	30.0 km	Sep 6, 2020
6.5	94 km NW of Vallenar, Chile	16.0 km	Sep 1, 2020
6.3	78 km NW of Vallenar, Chile	16.2 km	Sep 1, 2020
6.8	86 km NW of Vallenar, Chile	21.0 km	Sep 1, 2020
6.8	48 km SW of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile	112.0 km	Jun 3, 2020
6.0	29 km W of Arica, Chile	38.0 km	Dec 3, 2019
6.1	29 km SW of Illapel, Chile	53.0 km	Nov 4, 2019
6.7	70 km WSW of Constitución, Chile	11.0 km	Sep 29, 2019
6.8	96 km SW of San Antonio, Chile	25.0 km	Aug 1, 2019
6.4	72 km W of Coquimbo, Chile	11.0 km	Jun 14, 2019
6.7	10 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile	63.0 km	Jan 20, 2019
6.2	115 km NE of Iquique, Chile	102.0 km	Nov 1, 2018
6.2	56 km SW of Ovalle, Chile	66.0 km	Apr 10, 2018
6.3	100 km ESE of Arica, Chile	116.0 km	Jan 21, 2018
6.3	58 km E of Arica, Chile	85.0 km	Oct 10, 2017
6.9	40 km W of Valparaíso, Chile	28.0 km	Apr 24, 2017
6.0	37 km W of Valparaíso, Chile	21.0 km	Apr 23, 2017
6.3	62 km SE of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile	155.0 km	Apr 15, 2017
7.6	41 km SW of Quellón, Chile	38.0 km	Dec 25, 2016
6.0	42 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile	20.0 km	Nov 8, 2016
6.3	21 km SE of Curicó, Chile	90.0 km	Nov 4, 2016
6.0	88 km WSW of San Antonio, Chile	12.6 km	Oct 27, 2016
6.1	54 km WNW of Diego de Almagro, Chile	72.0 km	Jul 25, 2016
6.0	105 km WSW of Coquimbo, Chile	12.0 km	Feb 22, 2016
6.3	37 km W of Ovalle, Chile	29.0 km	Feb 10, 2016
6.2	65 km N of Taltal, Chile	34.0 km	Nov 27, 2015
6.9	85 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile	10.0 km	Nov 11, 2015
6.9	81 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile	12.0 km	Nov 11, 2015
6.8	39 km SW of Ovalle, Chile	46.0 km	Nov 7, 2015
6.2	107 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile	13.0 km	Nov 7, 2015
6.3	26 km SSW of Ovalle, Chile	46.0 km	Sep 26, 2015
6.0	22 km NNW of Illapel, Chile	58.0 km	Sep 22, 2015
6.6	22 km WSW of Illapel, Chile	35.0 km	Sep 21, 2015
6.1	54 km W of Illapel, Chile	30.0 km	Sep 21, 2015
6.2	79 km W of La Ligua, Chile	18.0 km	Sep 19, 2015
6.1	79 km WNW of Coquimbo, Chile	6.0 km	Sep 19, 2015
6.2	92 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile	8.0 km	Sep 18, 2015
6.7	61 km WNW of Illapel, Chile	23.0 km	Sep 17, 2015
6.5	54 km WNW of Illapel, Chile	27.0 km	Sep 17, 2015
6.4	70 km SW of Ovalle, Chile	42.3 km	Sep 17, 2015
7.0	25 km WNW of Illapel, Chile	28.4 km	Sep 16, 2015
6.1	71 km W of Illapel, Chile	35.0 km	Sep 16, 2015
6.1	55 km WSW of Illapel, Chile	19.1 km	Sep 16, 2015
6.4	54 km W of Illapel, Chile	26.7 km	Sep 16, 2015
8.3	48 km W of Illapel, Chile	22.4 km	Sep 16, 2015
6.4	74 km WNW of Talcahuano, Chile	11.0 km	Jun 20, 2015
6.0	50 km E of Calama, Chile	124.0 km	Jun 10, 2015
6.2	75 km NW of Tomé, Chile	13.0 km	Mar 18, 2015
6.4	23 km WNW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile	32.0 km	Aug 23, 2014
6.2	71 km SW of Iquique, Chile	13.8 km	Apr 11, 2014
6.3	70 km SW of Iquique, Chile	13.7 km	Apr 4, 2014
6.4	79 km SW of Iquique, Chile	25.0 km	Apr 3, 2014
7.7	53 km SW of Iquique, Chile	22.4 km	Apr 3, 2014
6.5	45 km WSW of Iquique, Chile	24.1 km	Apr 3, 2014
6.9	90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile	28.4 km	Apr 1, 2014
8.2	93 km NW of Iquique, Chile	25.0 km	Apr 1, 2014
6.3	93 km NW of Iquique, Chile	21.0 km	Mar 23, 2014
6.2	90 km WNW of Iquique, Chile	20.0 km	Mar 22, 2014
6.4	79 km WNW of Iquique, Chile	21.0 km	Mar 17, 2014
6.7	63 km WNW of Iquique, Chile	20.0 km	Mar 16, 2014
6.6	41 km SSW of Coquimbo, Chile	27.0 km	Oct 31, 2013
6.2	89 km W of Constitución, Chile	41.5 km	Oct 30, 2013
6.4	Off the coast of Aisen, Chile	10.0 km	May 20, 2013
6.8	54 km N of Vallenar, Chile	45.0 km	Jan 30, 2013
6.1	73 km SW of Vallenar, Chile	63.0 km	Nov 14, 2012
6.1	Off the coast of Aisen, Chile	9.0 km	Nov 13, 2012
6.0	86 km ESE of Colbún, Chile	8.0 km	Jun 7, 2012
6.3	Off the coast of Aisen, Chile	10.0 km	May 18, 2012
6.7	22 km NW of Hacienda La Calera, Chile	29.0 km	Apr 17, 2012
7.1	23 km NE of Constitución, Chile	40.7 km	Mar 25, 2012
6.1	24 km NNW of Tomé, Chile	20.0 km	Jan 23, 2012
6.1	76 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile	20.0 km	Dec 7, 2011
6.0	32 km SW of San Antonio, Chile	20.0 km	Jul 16, 2011

Showing the first 100 of 507 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Chile.

Philippines

14,179 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Russia

12,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Papua New Guinea

15,636 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Tonga

10,827 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

United States

17,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Mexico

8,296 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Chile? ▼

The USGS catalog records 13,817 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Chile since 2005, an average of about 658 per year. Separately, 507 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.

What was the strongest earthquake in Chile? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in Chile measured magnitude 8.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.

How seismically active is Chile? ▼

By catalogued M4+ activity, Chile ranks 6th of 215 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1960, with 30.

How deep are earthquakes in Chile? ▼

Across the 507 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 38 km. 90% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.

Where does this data come from? ▼

Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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