M5.6 earthquake 34 km NNW of Tocopilla, Chile
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 34 km NNW of Tocopilla, Chile on Sat, Aug 21, 1971, 8:47 AM GMT-4 (12:47 UTC), 40 km (25 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.6 (mw), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1971-08-21 12:47:49 UTC
- Depth
- 40.0 km (24.9 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 21.817° S, 70.346° W
- Region
- Chile
- Strongest shaking
- IV, light 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
- IV, light shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 4.1% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 0.5 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
- ±0.47
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.6 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 iscgem781442. Read Sat, Sep 26, 2026, 2:16 AM UTC.