USGS · September 3, 2026
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake — 29 km WSW of Salamanca, Chile
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake was recorded near 29 km WSW of Salamanca, Chile on Sep 3, 2026, 05:18 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4), at a depth of about 81.9 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 6 people · community intensity II (weak)Intermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 17:14 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.8 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 29 km WSW of Salamanca, Chile
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 3, 2026, 05:18 PM — UTC-4
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-03 21:18 UTC
- Depth
- 81.9 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -31.897, -71.240
- Felt reports
- Felt by 6 people · community intensity II (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 356 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 67 seismic stations used · 69° 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 II (Weak): Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors.
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 31,540 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 278,315 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Los Vilos | 24.7 km W | 18,275 |
| Salamanca | 29.2 km ENE | 13,265 |
| Illapel | 30.0 km NNE | 22,816 |
| Huentelauquén | 44.5 km NW | 1,290 |
| Petorca | 48.9 km SE | 2,548 |
| Canela | 50.7 km NE | 9,182 |
| Cabildo | 61.5 km SSE | 19,315 |
| La Ligua | 61.8 km S | 32,131 |
| Papudo | 70.6 km SSW | 4,015 |
| Combarbalá | 82.9 km NNE | 13,605 |
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
21 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.0 13 km NNE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.8 46 km SE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.6 28 km NE of Punitaqui, Chile
M 3.2 20 km E of Huentelauquén, Chile
M 3.6 37 km SE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.5 18 km S of Los Vilos, Chile
M 3.0 42 km SE of Papudo, Chile
M 3.3 18 km N of Salamanca, Chile
M 3.0 17 km SW of Los Vilos, Chile
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 29 km WSW of Salamanca, Chile earthquake?
Magnitude 4.8 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 81.9 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?
Sep 3, 2026, 05:18 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-09-03 21:18 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 6 people · community intensity II (weak). Felt by a few people at rest, mostly on upper floors.
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, 24.7 km W (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 21 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.