List of earthquakes in Chile

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Chile lies in a region which is adjacent to the fast-moving Nazca plate, and has high tectonic activity. The records for earlier centuries are apparently incomplete.

Of the world's 46 known earthquakes with M ≥ 8.5 since the year 1500, one-third occurred in Chile and are shown in the map to the side. Some virtually have the same epicenters like the 1604 and 1868 (in Arica), the 1730 and 1822 (in Valparaíso), the 1751 and 1835 (in Concepción), and the 1575 and 1837 (in Valdivia).

The strongest known recorded in modern times was also in Chile, the 1960 Valdivia earthquake.

Earthquakes Date (UTC) Time (UTC) Reference Epicenter Depth(km) Magnitude Máx. Intensity (MMI) Casualties Notes 1420–08–31 c. 06:00:00 Offshore Caldera, Atacama Region ? 8.8–9.4 Mw, 9.4 MSL. Guzmán: Encuentran registros de megaterremoto ocurrido hace seis siglos en el norte de Chile, El Mercurio, 2019-02-14. ? ? Destructive tsunami in Chile, Hawaii & Japan. Further information: 1420 Caldera Earthquake 1570–02–08 c.12:00:00 Concepción, Spanish Empire (Biobío Region) ? 8.3 MS XI c. 2000 dead Destructive tsunami. Further information: 1570 Concepción Earthquake 1575–03–17 Santiago, Spanish Empire (Metropolitan Region) ? 7.3 MS 1575–12–16 c.17:30:00 Valdivia, Spanish Empire Los Ríos Region ? 9.0 Mw,8.5 MS ? ? Destructive tsunami. Further information: 1575 Valdivia Earthquake 1604–11–24 18:30:00 Offshore Arica, Spanish Empire 30.0 8.7–9.0 Mw, 8.5 MS XI 100+ dead Destructive tsunami Further information: 1604 Arica Earthquake 1615–09–16 ? Offshore Arica, Spanish Empire ? 7.5 MS ? 3 injured Small - Moderate tsunami. Further information: 1615 Arica Earthquake 1647–05–13 ? Santiago, Spanish Empire ? 8.5 MS XI 1,000+ deadFurther information: 1647 Santiago Earthquake 1657–03–15 23:00:00 Concepción, Spanish Empire ? 8.3 Mw, 8.0 MS XI 40 dead Further information: 1657 Concepción Earthquake Destructive tsunami 1681–03–10 ? Offshore Arica, Spanish Empire ? 7.3 MS 1687–07–12 7.3 MS 1730-07-08 08:45:00 Valparaíso, Spanish Empire ? 9.1–9.3 Mw, 8.7 MS XI–XII? 3,000 dead? Further information: 1730 Valparaíso Earthquake Destructive tsunami. 1737-12-24 Valdivia 7.7 MS Tsunami 1751-05-25 Concepción 8.5 MS ~65 dead Moderate tsunami 1796-03-30 7.7 MS 1819-04-11 Copiapó 8.2–8.5 Destructive tsunami 1822-11-19 ? Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region ? 8.5 MS XI 70–300 dead, 200 injured Further information: 1822 Valparaíso Earthquake Moderate tsunami 1829-09-26 7.0 MS 1831-10-08 7.8 MS 1833-09-18 60 7.7 MS 1835-02-20 14:30:00 Concepción, Biobío Region ? ~8.5 XI? 50+ dead Further information: 1835 Concepción Earthquake Destructive tsunami. Devastating damage in Concepción. Known as the "Charles Darwin Earthquake", because the naturalist was visiting the area, observing the earthquake effects in Valdivia and the subsequent tsunami in Concepción-Talcahuano. 1837-11-07 10:00:00 Valdivia, Los Ríos Region ? 8.8–9.5 ? 14 dead Further information: 1837 Valdivia Earthquake Moderate tsunami. 1847-10-08 7.3 MS 1849-12-17 7.5 MS Moderate tsunami 1850-12-06 7.3 MS 1851-04-02 7.1 MS 1859-10-05 7.6 MS Moderate tsunami 1868-08-13 20:45:00 Offshore Arica, Department of Moquegua, Peru (now Arica y Parinacota Region, Chile) ? 8.8–9.1 Mw XI 25,000+ dead Further information: 1868 Arica Earthquake Destructive tsunami. 1869-08-24 7.5 MS Moderate tsunami 1871-10-05 7.3 MS Tsunami 1877-05-10 01:16:00 Offshore Iquique, Department of Tarapacá, Peru (now Tarapacá Region, Chile) ? 8.7–8.9 Mw XI 2,385 dead Further information: 1877 Iquique Earthquake Destructive tsunami 1878-01-23 40 7.9 MS 1879-02-02 7.3 MS 1880-08-15 7.7 MS 1906-08-17 00:40:04 Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region 32.400°S 71.400°W 25.0–35.0 8.2 MW XI 3,882 dead Further information: 1906 Valparaíso Earthquake 1909-06-08 05:46:37 Chañaral, Atacama Region 26.154°S 70.502°W 35.0 7.5 Mw ? ? ? 1910-10-04 7.3 MS 1911-09-15 7.3 MS 1914-01-30 03:36:06 Offshore Constitución, Maule Region 34.763°S 73.309°W 15.0 7.7 Mw V? – – 1917-02-14 7.0 MS 1918-05-20 7.9 MS 1918-12-04 11:47:51 Chañaral, Atacama Region 26.462°S 70.650°W 40.0 8.0 Mw VII? 8 dead 1918 Copiapó Earthquake. Moderate tsunami 1919-03-01 40 7.2 MS 1919-03-02 40 7.3 MS 1920-12-10 7.4 MS 1922-11-07 7.0 MS 1922-11-10 04:32:51 Near Vallenar, Atacama Region 28.293°S 69.852°W 70.0 8.5 Mw XI 1,000 dead Further information: 1922 Vallenar Earthquake Moderate tsunami 1923-05-04 60 7.0 MS 1925-05-15 50 7.1 MS 1926-04-28 180 7.0 MS 1927-11-21 23:12:33 Puerto Cisnes, Aysén Region 44.861°S 72.686°W 15.0 7.0 Mw IX–X ? Intense earthquake caused several landslides and a moderate tsunami, impacting the surrounding epicenter area, specially the Moradela Channel. 1928-11-20 25 7.1 MS 1928-12-01 04:06:17 Offshore Curepto, Maule Region 35.084°S 72.267°W 35.07.7 Mw IX 279 dead Further information: 1928 Talca Earthquake Tsunami 1929-10-19 100 7.5 MS 1931-03-18 7.1 MS 1933-02-23 40 7.6 MS 1936-03-01 120 7.1 MS 1936-07-13 60 7.3 MS 1939-01-24 03:32:14 Chillán, Ñuble Province (Nowadays Ñuble Region) 36.296°S 72.213°W 60.0 7.9 Mw, 8.3 MS X 28,000 dead, 40,000 injured Further information: 1939 Chillán Earthquake Deadliest earthquake in Chile's history. 1939-04-18 100 7.4 MS 1940-10-11 7.0 MS 1942-07-08 140 7.0 MS 1943-03-14 150 7.2 MS 1943-04-06 16:07:18 Ovalle, Coquimbo Region 31.262°S 71.368°W 35.0 8.1 Mw VIII–IX 11 dead, 49 injured Further information: 1943 Ovalle Earthquake Minor tsunami. 1943-12-01 100 7.0 MS 1945-07-13 100 7.1 MS 1946-08-02 19:18:52 Chañaral, Atacama Region 26.449°S 70.568°W 39.2 6.9 Mw VIII–IX 8 dead, 35 injured 1946 Copiapó Earthquake. 1949-04-19 70 7.3 MS 1949-04-25 110 7.3 MS 1949-05-29 100 7.0 MS 1949-12-17 06:53:32 Tierra del Fuego, Magallanes Region 53.972°S 69.562°W 10.0 7.7 Mw VIII – Further information: 1949 Tierra del Fuego Earthquakes 1949-12-17 15:07:57 Tierra del Fuego, Magallanes Region 53.996°S 70.057°W 10.0 7.6 Mw 1950-01-29 7.0 MS 1950-12-09 21:38:51 Calama, Antofagasta Region 23.977°S 67.912°W 113.9 8.2 Mw VII 1 dead, several injuredFurther information: 1950 Calama Earthquake 1953-05-06 17:16:48 Treguaco, Ñuble Region 64.0 7.6 MS X 12 dead, 40 injured Further information: 1953 Itata Earthquake 1953-12-06 128 7.4 MS 1954-02-08 7.7 MS 1955-04-19 7.1 MS Tsunami 1956-01-08 11 7.1 MS 1956-12-17 7.0 MS 1957-07-29 7.0 MS 1958-09-0421:51:00Cajón del Maipo, Metropolitan Region ?10.0?6.9 M?IX-X4 dead, 35 injured1958 Las Melosas Earthquakes. A sequence of 3 earthquakes with epicenters near Las Melosas locality, which violently struck the mountain area of Cajón del Maipo, including towns like El Volcán, Queltehues, San Gabriel and San José de Maipo1958-09-0421:52:006.7 M?1958-09-0421:56:006.8 M? 1959-06-13 83 7.5 MS 1960-05-21 10:02:57 Cañete, Biobío Region 37.824°S 73.353°W 25.0 8.1–8.3 Mw X 125 dead 1960 Concepción Earthquakes A series of strong earthquakes in Biobío and Aracucanía. They formed part of the foreshock sequence for the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. 1960-05-2210:30:44Nahuelbuta National Park37.775°S 73.017°W25.07.1 Mw 1960-05-22 18:56:02 Traiguén, Araucanía Region 38.061°S 73.039°W 25.0 7.8 Mw 1960-05-22 19:11:20 Valdivia 25.0 9.4–9.6 Mw XII 1,000–6,000 dead 1960 Valdivia Earthquake Strongest earthquake in recorded history. Destructive tsunami in Chile, Hawai'i, Japan . 1960-06-19 7.3 MS 1960-11-01 55 7.4 MS 1961-07-13 40 7.0 MS 1962-02-14 45 7.3 MS 1962-08-03 107 7.1 MS 1965-02-23 22:11:47 Offshore Taltal, Antofagasta Region 25.633°S 70.679°W 35.0 7.0 Mw VII 1 dead 1965-03-28 16:33:16 La Ligua, Valparaíso Region 32.522°S 71.233°W 70.0 7.4–7.6 Mw IX 400–500 dead, c. 300 injured Further information: 1965 La Ligua Earthquake 1966-12-28 08:18:07 Taltal, Antofagasta Region 25.0 7.7 Mw VIII 6 dead, 30 injured A 5.8 meter high tsunami was registered. 1967-03-13 33 7.5 MS 1967-12-21 02:25:26 Tocopilla, Antofagasta Region 21.865°S 69.939°W 45.0 7.3 MW VIII 10 dead, 40 injured 1967 Tocopilla Earthquake. 1971-06-17 76 7.0 MS 1971-07-09 03:03:20 La Ligua, Valparaíso Region 32.601°S 71.076°W 60.3 7.8 Mw IX 83 dead, 447 injured Further information: 1971 Aconcagua Earthquake Minor tsunami. 1974-08-18 36 7.1 MS 1975-05-10 14:27:38 Cordillera de Nahuelbuta (Contulmo, Biobío Region) 38.183°S 73.232°W 6.0 7.7 Mw, 7.7 MS IX? – 1975 Angol Earthquake. 1976-11-30 00:40:57 Pica, Tarapacá Region 20.520°S 68.919°W 82.0 7.5 Mw, 6.5 Mb VIII 1 dead, 13 injured 1976 Pica Earthquake. 1979-08-03 49 7.0 MS 1981-10-16 03:25:42 Offshore Valparaíso, Valparaíso Region 33.134°S 73.074°W 33.0 7.2 Mw V–VI – 1983-10-04 18:52:13 Diego de Almagro, Atacama Region 26.535°S 70.563°W 14.8 7.4 Mw, VII–VIII 5 dead, 24 injuredConsiderable structural damage In Copiapó and Chañaral. Minor tsunami near the coast of Valparaíso Region. 1985-03-03 22:47:07 Algarrobo, Valparaíso Region 33.135°S 71.871°W 33.0 8.0 Mw IX 177–200 dead, 2,483–2,575 injured Further information: 1985 Algarrobo earthquake 1985-04-09 01:56:59 Rapel Lake, O'Higgins Region 34.131°S 71.618°W 37.8 7.2 Mw VII 2 dead, several injured Further information: 1985 Rapel Lake Earthquake 1987-03-05 09:17:05 Near the coast of Antofagasta Region 24.388°S 70.161°W 62.3 7.6 Mw VII 1 dead General damage in Antofagasta. Local tsunami generated with maximum wave heights 22 cm. at Caldera, 20 cm. at Coquimbo, 14 cm. at Valparaiso and 18 cm. at Arica 1987-08-08 15:48:56 Near the coast of Tarapacá Region 19.022°S 69.991°W 69.7 7.2 Mw VII 3–5 dead, 44–112 injured More than 1,000 houses destroyed in Arica. Several landslides occurred along the Chile-Peru border. 1995-07-30 05:11:23 Antofagasta, Antofagasta Region 23.340°S 70.294°W 45.6 8.0 Mw VIII 3 dead, 58 injured Further information: 1995 Antofagasta Earthquake 1997-10-15 01:03:33 Punitaqui, Coquimbo Region 30.933°S 71.220°W 58.0 7.1 Mw VIII 8 dead, 300+ injured Further information: 1997 Punitaqui Earthquake 1998-01-30 12:16:08 Near coast of Antofagasta Region 23.913°S 70.207°W 42.0 7.1 Mw VII 1 dead One person suffered a heart attack at Antofagasta. Minor damage to older buildings 2001-07-2405:00:09Chusmiza, Tarapacá Region19.448°S 69.255°W3.06.4 MwVII1 deadOne person killed at Jaina. Two injured at Chiapa and one injured at Chusmiza. 2005-06-13 22:44:33 Inland Tarapacá Region 19.987°S 69.197°W 115.6 7.8 Mw VII 11 dead, 200 injured Further information: 2005 Tarapacá Earthquake 2007-04-21 17:53:46 Aysén Fjord, Aysén Region 45.243°S 72.648°W 36.7 6.2 Mw VII 10 dead Further information: 2007 Aysén Fjord Earthquakes 2007-11-14 15:40:50 Tocopilla, Antofagasta Region 22.247°S 69.890°W 40.0 7.7 Mw VIII 2 dead, 65 injured Further information: 2007 Tocopilla Earthquake 2010-02-27 06:34:11 Offshore Maule Region 36.122°S 72.898°W 22.9 8.8 Mw 525 dead, 24 missing, ~12,000 injuredFurther information: 2010 Maule Earthquake Destructive tsunami. Largest and most important quake in the country since the 1960 Valdivia Earthquake. 2010-03-11 14:39:43 Pichilemu, O'Higgins Region 34.290°S 71.891°W 11.0 6.9 Mww VIII 1 dead Further information: 2010 Pichilemu Earthquakes2010-03-1114:55:27Pichilemu, O'Higgins Region34.326°S 71.799°W18.07.0 Mww 2011-01-02 20:20:17 Tirúa-Carahue, Biobío-Araucanía border region 38.355°S 73.326°W 24.0 7.2 Mww VII —Aftershock of the 2010 Maule Earthquake. 2012-03-25 22:37:06 Constitución, Maule Region 35.200°S 72.217°W 40.7 7.1 Mww VIII 1 dead Further information: 2012 Constitución Earthquake2012-04-1703:50:15Zapallar, Valparaíso Region32.625°S 71.365°W29.06.7 MwwVII2 deadOne person killed at Papudo and one person died of a heart attack in Quillota. 2013-01-30 20:15:43 Vallenar, Atacama Region 28.094°S 70.653°W 45.0 6.8 Mww VII 1 dead Further information: 2013 Vallenar Earthquake 2014-03-16 21:16:29 Offshore Iquique, Tarapacá Region 19.981°S 70.702°W 20.0 6.7 Mww VII 11 dead,