EMSC · September 1, 2026

Magnitude 3.8 earthquake — 47 km NNW of Pica, Chile

A magnitude 3.8 earthquake was recorded near 47 km NNW of Pica, Chile on Sep 1, 2026, 11:01 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4), at a depth of about 119.7 km, according to EMSC.

EMSCIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist

Updated 2026-09-03 04:44 UTC

The full record

Magnitude
M 3.8 · local (Richter) magnitude
Location
47 km NNW of Pica, Chile
Local time at the epicentre
Sep 1, 2026, 11:01 PM — UTC-4
Time (UTC)
2026-09-02 03:01 UTC
Depth
119.7 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
Coordinates
-20.870, -69.120
Felt reports
No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
Tsunami
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Review status
Reviewed by a seismologist
Catalog
EMSC (Centro Sismológico Euromediterráneo)

Open the official catalog record

Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes

The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.

What the shaking was like

At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.

No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.

Who lives nearby

About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 26,174 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.

PlaceDistancePopulation
Pica47.5 km NNW9,296
Pozo Almonte97.3 km NW16,878

Earthquake history in this area

9 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Chile.

Other earthquakes near this epicentre

61 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.

Be first to know about the next earthquake near 47 km NNW of Pica, Chile

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Frequently asked questions

How strong was the 47 km NNW of Pica, Chile earthquake?

Magnitude 3.8 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 119.7 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.

Exactly when did it happen?

Sep 1, 2026, 11:01 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-09-02 03:01 UTC.

Was it felt?

No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.

Was there a tsunami warning?

No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.

Which towns are closest to the epicentre?

The closest is Pica, 47.5 km NNW (population 9,296).

Are earthquakes normal in this area?

Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.8 (102 km ENE of Iquique, Chile, 2005), and 61 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.

How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?

Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.

About this page

Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.