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Chile · Región de Coquimbo

M3.8 Earthquake near Ovalle, Región de Coquimbo (Chile)

UTC time: 2026-03-18 16:40:48 UTC Local time: —

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About this earthquake

A magnitude M3.8 earthquake was recorded near Ovalle, Región de Coquimbo (Chile) on March 18, 2026 at 16:40 UTC. With a focal depth of about 31 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude are often felt but rarely cause damage.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Chile: 25 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.9.

Details

ID
84647269db91f8e629250dd7414e506f95636d95
Magnitude
M3.8
Depth
30.9 km
UTC time
2026-03-18 16:40:48 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Chile
State
Región de Coquimbo
City
Ovalle
County
Provincia de Limarí
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-30.65000, -71.66000
Temperature
24.5°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 30.9 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 30.9 km
Shallow
30.9 km
30.9 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: 355 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'660 m ·Last eruption: 1987 ·Chile-Argentina
  • San Jose
    Distance: 386 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 6'070 m ·Last eruption: 1960 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Maipo
    Distance: 427 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'323 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Palomo
    Distance: 458 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 4'860 m ·Chile
  • Atuel, Caldera del
    Distance: 468 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'189 m ·Argentina
  • Tinguiririca
    Distance: 479 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, 44 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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