M5.5 earthquake 44 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 44 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile on Thu, Mar 7, 1996, 5:38 AM GMT-3 (08:38 UTC), 31 km (19 mi) below the surface.
A larger quake followed: M6.6 44 km SE of Antofagasta, Chile. This one was a foreshock.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.5 (mwc), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1996-03-07 08:38:57 UTC
- Depth
- 31.3 km (19.4 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 23.267° S, 70.285° 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
- 7.6% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 0.9 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
Fault motion and ground failure
How the rock slipped, from the moment tensor, and the USGS estimate of landslides and liquefaction.
- Faulting
- Reverse (thrust)
- Nodal plane 1
- Strike 3°, dip 14°, rake 98°
- Nodal plane 2
- Strike 174°, dip 76°, rake 88°
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Depth from
- CONSTRAINED_BY_DEPTH_PHASES
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 3 in the 60 days after this one and 1 in the 30 days before it.
After
- 3.6Near the coast of Antofagasta, Chile · 11124 days ago · 33 km deep · 84 km away
- 6.644 km SE of Antofagasta, Chile · 11122 days ago · 50 km deep · 78 km away
- 4.426 km NNE of Antofagasta, Chile · 11105 days ago · 33 km deep · 18 km away
Before
Earthquakes todayChile earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0007eea (also filed as gcmtb030796a, gcmt19960307083857, iscgem951917). Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 5:34 PM UTC.