EMSC · October 21, 2026
Magnitude 3.9 earthquake near Los Vilos, Chile
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was recorded near 11 km NW of Los Vilos, Chile on Oct 21, 2026, 01:21 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3), at a depth of about 39.7 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-21 06:39 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.9 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 11 km NW of Los Vilos, Chile
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 21, 2026, 01:21 AM — UTC-3
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-21 04:21 UTC
- Depth
- 39.7 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -31.990, -71.430
- 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
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 18,275 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 333,978 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Los Vilos | 10.9 km NW | 18,275 |
| Huentelauquén | 46.2 km NNW | 1,290 |
| Illapel | 46.7 km NNE | 22,816 |
| Salamanca | 49.9 km ENE | 13,265 |
| La Ligua | 54.7 km SSE | 32,131 |
| Petorca | 55.0 km ESE | 2,548 |
| Papudo | 57.6 km S | 4,015 |
| Cabildo | 59.5 km SE | 19,315 |
| Canela | 71.1 km NE | 9,182 |
| Catemu | 80.7 km SSE | 13,285 |
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
26 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.4 16 km E of Quintero, Chile
M 3.1 28 km SSE of Huentelauquén, Chile
M 3.3 39 km WSW of Petorca, Chile
M 3.0 20 km ENE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.1 41 km ESE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.4 7 km ENE of Quintero, Chile
M 3.2 10 km WSW of Huentelauquén, Chile
M 3.2 17 km E of Petorca, Chile
M 4.0 30 km WSW of Canela, Chile
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 11 km NW of Los Vilos, Chile earthquake?
Magnitude 3.9 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 39.7 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 21, 2026, 01:21 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3). In universal time: 2026-10-21 04:21 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 Los Vilos, 10.9 km NW (population 18,275).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.3 (48 km W of Illapel, Chile, 2015), and 26 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.