4.2

M4.2 Earthquake 70 km W of Illapel, ChileMarch 7, 2024

2024-03-07 22:25:44 UTC (2024-03-07) · approx. 5:25 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM4.2(mb)
Time22:25 UTC5:25 PM UTC-5
Depth35.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-31.737°, -71.907°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 7, 2024 at 22:25 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 70 km W of Illapel, Chile, at a depth of 35.0 km and coordinates -31.7366°, -71.9070°.0

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -31.74°, -71.91°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from submitted citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M4.2 earthquake near 70 km W of Illapel, Chile

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.2 mb
Depth
35.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-31.7366°N
-71.9070°E
Community Intensity
1.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000m40r
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
271
Stations Used
37
Azimuthal Gap
158.0°
Min Station Distance
0.850°
RMS Residual
0.52 sec
Last Updated
2024-05-15 17:35:03 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Illapel, Chile?

The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 70 km W of Illapel, Chile on March 7, 2024 at 22:25 UTC had a depth of 35.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000m40r). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, March 7, 2024). M4.2 Earthquake 70 km W of Illapel, ChileMarch 7, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000m40r/