M5.9 Earthquake 3 km SE of Iquique, Chile — July 17, 2020
2020-07-17 05:40:36 UTC (2020-07-17) · approx. 12:40 AM UTC-5 local
Felt by 170 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.0 (very strong).
On July 17, 2020 at 05:40 UTC, a magnitude 5.9 intermediate depth earthquake struck 3 km SE of Iquique, Chile, at a depth of 73.6 km and coordinates -20.2355°, -70.1328°. The earthquake was reported felt by 170 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 7.0 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a yellow alert level for this event, indicating local impact possible. The nearest populated place is Cruz de Machacamarca (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.1 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
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 7.0 (very strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Strong shaking felt by everyone. Heavy furniture may move. Books fall from shelves. Plaster and chimneys may crack. Damage is generally slight in well-built structures.
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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 170 citizen responses 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
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 10,401 |
| MMI 4 | light | 258,089 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 7,326 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 139,542 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 184,454 |
Earthquake Details
-70.1328°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Iquique, Chile?
The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck 3 km SE of Iquique, Chile on July 17, 2020 at 05:40 UTC had a depth of 73.6 km. It was felt by 170 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 7.0 (very strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -20.2355°, -70.1328°, which is 3 km SE of Iquique, Chile. The nearest populated place is Cruz de Machacamarca (population 0). View all earthquakes in Chile.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.9 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 5.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000aq5p). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 17, 2020). M5.9 Earthquake 3 km SE of Iquique, Chile — July 17, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000aq5p/