M4.6 Earthquake 50 km W of Ovalle, Chile — November 15, 2025
2025-11-15 16:45:10 UTC (2025-11-15) · approx. 11:45 AM UTC-5 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On November 15, 2025 at 16:45 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 50 km W of Ovalle, Chile, at a depth of 21.0 km and coordinates -30.6456°, -71.7212°. This earthquake was detected by 162 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred 11 days ago 43 km SW of Ovalle, Chile. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 1 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-71.7212°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Ovalle, Chile?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 50 km W of Ovalle, Chile on November 15, 2025 at 16:45 UTC had a depth of 21.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -30.6456°, -71.7212°, which is 50 km W of Ovalle, Chile. View all earthquakes in Chile.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 43 km SW of Ovalle, Chile. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rnh3). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, November 15, 2025). M4.6 Earthquake 50 km W of Ovalle, Chile — November 15, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rnh3/