EMSC · October 16, 2026
Magnitude 3.4 earthquake near Villa General San Martín, Argentina
A magnitude 3.4 earthquake was recorded near 30 km SSW of Villa El Salvador, Argentina on Oct 16, 2026, 04:43 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3), at a depth of about 85.0 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-16 21:38 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.4 · m
- Location
- 30 km SSW of Villa El Salvador, Argentina
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 16, 2026, 04:43 PM — UTC-3
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-16 19:43 UTC
- Depth
- 85.0 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -31.190, -68.340
- 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)
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 6,103 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 572,512 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Villa El Salvador | 29.9 km SSW | 6,103 |
| Villa General San Martín | 32.6 km SSW | 29,789 |
| Albardón | 32.7 km SSW | 20,413 |
| Chimbas | 38.3 km SSW | 73,829 |
| Villa Paula de Sarmiento | 38.6 km SSW | 19,092 |
| Barrio Sadop | 38.7 km S | 1,239 |
| Villa Don Bosco | 40.3 km S | 3,571 |
| Santa Lucía | 41.8 km SSW | 62,697 |
| San Juan | 42.5 km SSW | 109,123 |
| Rivadavia | 45.2 km SSW | — |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Chile.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
17 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.3 16 km SE of Albardón, Argentina
M 3.0 33 km WNW of Tamberías, Argentina
M 3.4 40 km SSE of Villa Basilio Nievas, Argentina
M 3.0 21 km SSW of Villa El Salvador, Argentina
M 3.2 21 km S of Villa Basilio Nievas, Argentina
M 3.0 37 km NW of Iglesia, Argentina
M 3.1 35 km SE of Villa Basilio Nievas, Argentina
M 3.7 39 km SE of Albardón, Argentina
M 3.2 18 km W of Calingasta, Argentina
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 30 km SSW of Villa El Salvador, Argentina
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 30 km SSW of Villa El Salvador, Argentina earthquake?
Magnitude 3.4 (m), at a depth of 85.0 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?
Oct 16, 2026, 04:43 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3). In universal time: 2026-10-16 19:43 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 Villa El Salvador, 29.9 km SSW (population 6,103).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.4 (San Juan, Argentina, 1977), and 17 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), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.