USGS · August 15, 2026
Magnitude 4.3 earthquake — 42 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake was recorded near 42 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile on Aug 15, 2026, 03:57 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4), at a depth of about 73.9 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity I (not felt)Intermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-08-31 13:46 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.3 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 42 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 15, 2026, 03:57 PM — UTC-4
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-15 19:57 UTC
- Depth
- 73.9 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -28.207, -70.875
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity I (not felt)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 285 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 28 seismic stations used · 165° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
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.
People who reported it described intensity I (Not felt): Not felt except by a very few under especially favourable conditions.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 64,944 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Freirina | 39.2 km SSW | 6,038 |
| Vallenar | 42.5 km SSE | 44,895 |
| Huasco | 44.6 km SW | 8,977 |
| Vallenar | 69.6 km ESE | — |
| Alto del Carmen | 72.2 km SSE | 5,034 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Chile.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
1 other event within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 42 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 42 km NNW of Vallenar, Chile earthquake?
Magnitude 4.3 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 73.9 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?
Aug 15, 2026, 03:57 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-08-15 19:57 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity I (not felt). Not felt except by a very few under especially favourable conditions.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Freirina, 39.2 km SSW (population 6,038).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
1 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre 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.