M5.4 Earthquake near West Chile Rise — May 18, 2026
2026-05-18 02:10:41 UTC (2 days ago) · approx. 9:10 PM UTC-5 local
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On May 18, 2026 at 02:10 UTC, a magnitude 5.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck near West Chile Rise, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -43.4009°, -82.4593°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 67 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 449, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.2 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
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Earthquake Details
-82.4593°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake near West Chile Rise?
The magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck near West Chile Rise on May 18, 2026 at 02:10 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 -43.4009°, -82.4593°, 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 5.4 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 5.4 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000syg1). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, May 18, 2026). M5.4 Earthquake near West Chile Rise — May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000syg1/