M5.7 Earthquake 122 km W of Copiapó, Chile — September 15, 2023
2023-09-15 18:07:39 UTC (2023-09-15) · approx. 1:07 PM UTC-5 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.1 (moderate).
On September 15, 2023 at 18:07 UTC, a magnitude 5.7 shallow crustal earthquake struck 122 km W of Copiapó, Chile, at a depth of 8.0 km and coordinates -27.3052°, -71.5671°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 131 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 500, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Vallenar (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 5 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 5.2 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
Nearest Populated Places
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
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 | 273,495 |
| MMI 4 | light | 18,694 |
Earthquake Details
-71.5671°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.7 earthquake near Copiapó, Chile?
The magnitude 5.7 earthquake that struck 122 km W of Copiapó, Chile on September 15, 2023 at 18:07 UTC had a depth of 8.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -27.3052°, -71.5671°, which is 122 km W of Copiapó, Chile. The nearest populated place is Vallenar (population 0). View all earthquakes in Chile.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.7 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 5.7 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000kw0l). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, September 15, 2023). M5.7 Earthquake 122 km W of Copiapó, Chile — September 15, 2023. Retrieved October 9, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000kw0l/