Back to map
Chile · Región de Antofagasta

M2.8 Earthquake near María Elena, Región de Antofagasta (Chile)

UTC time: 2026-02-18 12:25:04 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M2.8
Depth
69.7 km
Source
EMSC

Región de Antofagasta · María Elena

Country overview

Map

About this earthquake

On February 18, 2026 at 12:25 UTC, a magnitude M2.8 earthquake occurred near María Elena, Región de Antofagasta (Chile). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 70 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size typically go unnoticed.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Chile: 27 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.7.

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 69.7 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 69.7 km
Shallow
69.7 km
69.7 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

  • Putana
    Distance: 170 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'884 m ·Last eruption: 1810 ·Chile
  • Olca-Paruma
    Distance: 172 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 5'705 m ·Chile-Bolivia
  • Sairecabur
    Distance: 172 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 5'961 m ·Chile-Bolivia
  • Licancabur
    Distance: 178 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'916 m ·Chile-Bolivia
  • Irruputuncu
    Distance: 183 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 5'163 m ·Last eruption: 1995 ·Chile-Bolivia
  • Purico Complex
    Distance: 198 km ·Shield(pyroclastic) ·Elevation: 5'703 m ·Chile

Región de Antofagasta

Context for this earthquake

08 Sep 2025 – 07 Sep 2026 · M ≥ 2.0 · 1,601 Catalogue entries

Of 1,600 other entries for this area and period, 899 have a higher stored magnitude. Different magnitude types and reports not yet merged limit the comparison.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · Chile

Open history map
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.

Share