M5.1 Earthquake near West Chile Rise — December 5, 2021
2021-12-05 17:46:38 UTC (2021-12-05) · approx. 11:46 AM UTC-6 local
On December 5, 2021 at 17:46 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near West Chile Rise, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -42.4349°, -83.5103°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Chile, a region characterized by the Peru-Chile Trench, where the Nazca Plate subducts beneath South America at 65-80 mm per year. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Chile.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
-83.5103°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near West Chile Rise?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near West Chile Rise on December 5, 2021 at 17:46 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -42.4349°, -83.5103°, which is near West Chile Rise. View all earthquakes in Chile.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Chile had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Chile was the M9.5 Great Chilean earthquake of May 22, 1960. Today's magnitude 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000g9b7). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 5, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake near West Chile Rise — December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000g9b7/