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Chile · Región de Coquimbo

M4.2 Earthquake near Los Vilos, Región de Coquimbo (Chile)

UTC time: 2026-05-15 17:37:44 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M4.2
Depth
39.1 km
Source
EMSC

Región de Coquimbo · Los Vilos

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About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.2 earthquake was recorded near Los Vilos, Región de Coquimbo (Chile) on May 15, 2026 at 17:37 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 39 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Tremors of this size are distinctly felt and can occasionally cause light damage.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Chile: 24 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.0.

Details

ID
515297537a5ce344a61158949e9894ab07014973
Magnitude
M4.2
Depth
39.1 km
UTC time
2026-05-15 17:37:44 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Chile
State
Región de Coquimbo
City
Los Vilos
County
Provincia de Choapa
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-31.98000, -71.47000
Temperature
17.7°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 39.1 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 39.1 km
Shallow
39.1 km
39.1 km — shallower than the regional average (99.3 km)
Regional average: 99.3 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tupungatito
    Distance: 224 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'660 m ·Last eruption: 1987 ·Chile-Argentina
  • San Jose
    Distance: 249 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 6'070 m ·Last eruption: 1960 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Maipo
    Distance: 287 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'323 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Palomo
    Distance: 312 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 4'860 m ·Chile
  • Atuel, Caldera del
    Distance: 324 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'189 m ·Argentina
  • Tinguiririca
    Distance: 332 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 4'280 m ·Last eruption: 1917 ·Chile

Región de Coquimbo

Context for this earthquake

07 Sep 2025 – 07 Sep 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 174 Catalogue entries

Of 173 other entries for this area and period, 30 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · Chile

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Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Chile

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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