M6.0 earthquake 37 km N of Vallenar, Chile
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 37 km N of Vallenar, Chile on Thu, May 21, 1959, 7:34 AM GMT-4 (11:34 UTC), 43 km (27 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 6.0 (mw), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1959-05-21 11:34:28 UTC
- Depth
- 43.0 km (26.7 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 28.241° S, 70.823° W
- Region
- Chile
- Strongest shaking
- V, moderate shaking
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Shaking
The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
- Strongest estimated
- V, moderate shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 10.6% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 1.6 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Magnitude uncertainty
- ±0.20
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.
None recorded.
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Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem882070. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 9:19 PM UTC.