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Chile · Atacama Region

M2.5 Earthquake near Chañaral, Atacama Region (Chile)

UTC time: 2026-09-12 21:02:04 UTC Local time: —

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About this earthquake

On September 12, 2026 at 21:02 UTC, a magnitude M2.5 earthquake occurred near Chañaral, Atacama Region (Chile). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 33 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Chile: 31 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.5.

Details

ID
62f5eba37a6f69de974dc900fc0fc1dc5dd5df29
Magnitude
M2.5
Depth
32.6 km
UTC time
2026-09-12 21:02:04 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Chile
State
Atacama Region
City
Chañaral
County
Provincia de Chañaral
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-26.63000, -70.61000
Temperature
16.5°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 32.6 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 32.6 km
Shallow
32.6 km
32.6 km — shallower than the regional average (99.4 km)
Regional average: 99.4 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

  • Solo, El
    Distance: 195 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 6'205 m ·Chile-Argentina
  • Nevada, Sierra
    Distance: 203 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 6'173 m ·Chile-Argentina
  • Ojos del Salado, Nevados
    Distance: 212 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 6'879 m ·Last eruption: 750 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Tipas
    Distance: 213 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 6'658 m ·Argentina
  • Falso Azufre
    Distance: 223 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 5'906 m ·Chile-Argentina
  • Condor, El
    Distance: 224 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 6'373 m ·Argentina

Atacama Region

Context for this earthquake

14 Sep 2025 – 14 Sep 2026 · M ≥ 2.0 · 113 Catalogue entries

Of 112 other entries for this area and period, 101 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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Country statistics · Chile

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

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