4.0

M4.0 Earthquake 77 km NNE of Tocopilla, ChileDecember 2, 2024

2024-12-02 23:26:10 UTC (2024-12-02) · approx. 6:26 PM UTC-5 local

MagnitudeM4.0(mb)
Time23:26 UTC6:26 PM UTC-5
Depth56.4 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-21.416°, -70.020°
Felt by2DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On December 2, 2024 at 23:26 UTC, a magnitude 4.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 77 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile, at a depth of 56.4 km and coordinates -21.4163°, -70.0202°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 347 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -21.42°, -70.02°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 2 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 M4.0 earthquake near 77 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile

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

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.0 mb
Depth
56.4 km
shallow crustal
Location
-21.4163°N
-70.0202°E
Felt Reports
2
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
2.5
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000nvja
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
247
Stations Used
24
Azimuthal Gap
154.0°
Min Station Distance
0.150°
RMS Residual
0.82 sec
Last Updated
2025-02-15 18:29:04 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.0 earthquake near Tocopilla, Chile?

The magnitude 4.0 earthquake that struck 77 km NNE of Tocopilla, Chile on December 2, 2024 at 23:26 UTC had a depth of 56.4 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 4.0 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 4.0 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000nvja). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, December 2, 2024). M4.0 Earthquake 77 km NNE of Tocopilla, ChileDecember 2, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000nvja/