USGS · September 23, 2026
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake near La Serena, Chile
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was recorded near 33 km NNW of La Serena, Chile on Sep 23, 2026, 12:07 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3), at a depth of about 62.4 km, according to USGS.
USGSShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-23 05:47 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.2 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 33 km NNW of La Serena, Chile
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 23, 2026, 12:07 AM — UTC-3
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-23 03:07 UTC
- Depth
- 62.4 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -29.619, -71.376
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 271 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 23 seismic stations used · 153° 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
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.
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 4,285 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 363,243 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| La Higuera | 20.6 km NE | 4,285 |
| La Serena | 34.1 km SSE | 154,521 |
| Coquimbo | 37.3 km S | 161,317 |
| Andacollo | 73.9 km SSE | 11,093 |
| Vicuña | 78.9 km SE | 27,771 |
| Paiguano | 94.5 km ESE | 4,256 |
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
22 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.4 34 km NW of Coquimbo, Chile
M 4.1 35 km SE of Ovalle, Chile
M 3.3 15 km NNW of La Serena, Chile
M 3.4 51 km NNE of Freirina, Chile
M 3.5 34 km SSE of Vicuña, Chile
M 3.2 25 km SE of Coquimbo, Chile
M 3.1 48 km NNE of Huasco, Chile
M 3.1 OFFSHORE COQUIMBO, CHILE
M 3.3 39 km NNE of Huasco, Chile
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 33 km NNW of La Serena, Chile earthquake?
Magnitude 4.2 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 62.4 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?
Sep 23, 2026, 12:07 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-3). In universal time: 2026-09-23 03:07 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 La Higuera, 20.6 km NE (population 4,285).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.1 (36 km SW of Monte Patria, Chile, 1997), and 22 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.