6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Chile
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck near Ovalle, Chile, at a depth of approximately 37 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties following the seismic event. Authorities continue to monitor the situation in the region.
- The earthquake occurred where the Nazca tectonic plate subducts, or slides under, the South American plate at a rate of about 7 to 8 centimeters per year. This seismically active region is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire." - The Coquimbo Region is one of Chile's most seismically active areas; in the last 10 years, over 1,900 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or higher have occurred within 300 kilometers of the regional capital. - In January 2019, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake also struck the Coquimbo region, resulting in two fatalities and the collapse of 180 houses. - An estimated 930,000 people likely felt the shaking from this event across Chile and parts of Argentina, with the tremor reaching cities such as La Serena, Valparaíso, and the capital, Santiago. - Chile has a history of massive seismic events, including the 8.8 magnitude Maule earthquake in 2010, which killed more than 500 people and generated a tsunami. - Following the most powerful earthquake ever recorded—a 9.5 magnitude quake in Valdivia in 1960—Chile implemented some of the world's strictest building codes. These regulations mandate that structures are designed to sway with seismic waves to prevent collapse.
