M4.8 Earthquake 59 km SE of Palca, Peru — August 30, 2026
2026-08-30 16:04:08 UTC (2026-08-30) · approx. 11:04 AM UTC-5 local
Felt by 2 people across nearby locations.
On August 30, 2026 at 16:04 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 intermediate depth earthquake struck 59 km SE of Palca, Peru, at a depth of 109.8 km and coordinates -18.2177°, -69.6409°. This earthquake was detected by 61 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 355, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Peru, a region characterized by the northern Peru-Chile subduction zone, complicated by the subduction of the Nazca Ridge. The nearest mapped fault system is the Peru-Chile Trench. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
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.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-69.6409°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Palca, Peru?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 59 km SE of Palca, Peru on August 30, 2026 at 16:04 UTC had a depth of 109.8 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -18.2177°, -69.6409°, which is 59 km SE of Palca, Peru. View all earthquakes in Peru.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has Peru had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Peru was the M8.0 Arequipa earthquake of June 23, 2001. Today's magnitude 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000tczt). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 30, 2026). M4.8 Earthquake 59 km SE of Palca, Peru — August 30, 2026. Retrieved October 26, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000tczt/