M5.1 Earthquake near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile — December 9, 2022
2022-12-09 08:06:27 UTC (2022-12-09) · approx. 3:06 AM UTC-5 local
On December 9, 2022 at 08:06 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -44.2286°, -79.0514°. This earthquake was detected by 35 seismic stations with moderate location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
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
-79.0514°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile on December 9, 2022 at 08:06 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 -44.2286°, -79.0514°, which is near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile. 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: us6000j83x). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, December 9, 2022). M5.1 Earthquake near Off the coast of Aisen, Chile — December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000j83x/