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Chile · Región de Coquimbo

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

UTC time: 2026-02-15 22:02:33 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M3.8
Depth
49.6 km
Source
EMSC

Región de Coquimbo · Punitaqui

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About this earthquake

On February 15, 2026 at 22:02 UTC, a magnitude M3.8 earthquake occurred near Punitaqui, Región de Coquimbo (Chile). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 50 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. 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 M4.7.

Details

ID
ceaab7d19ea922ef9500802c07cb526aba3445e3
Magnitude
M3.8
Depth
49.6 km
UTC time
2026-02-15 22:02:33 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Chile
State
Región de Coquimbo
City
Punitaqui
County
Provincia de Limarí
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-30.79000, -71.38000
Temperature
18.8°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 49.6 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 49.6 km
Shallow
49.6 km
49.6 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: 329 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'660 m ·Last eruption: 1987 ·Chile-Argentina
  • San Jose
    Distance: 361 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 6'070 m ·Last eruption: 1960 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Maipo
    Distance: 402 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'323 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Chile-Argentina
  • Palomo
    Distance: 437 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 4'860 m ·Chile
  • Atuel, Caldera del
    Distance: 444 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 5'189 m ·Argentina
  • Tinguiririca
    Distance: 458 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 4'280 m ·Last eruption: 1917 ·Chile

Región de Coquimbo

Context for this earthquake

08 Sep 2025 – 08 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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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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