November 20, 1928 Earthquake: Northern, Chile
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Northern, Chile on November 20, 1928 at 20:35:07 UTC, 33 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- November 20, 1928
- Time
- 20:35:07 UTC
- Place
- Northern, Chile
- Magnitude
- 7.1 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 33 km (21 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 22.500° S, 70.500° W
- Country
- Chile
The toll
The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Nov. 20, 1928, 20:35:07 UTC, 22.5 S, 70.5 W, shallow depth, magnitude 7.1 MS. (reference #88)
Nov. 20, 1928, 20:35:07 UTC, 22.5 S, 70.5 W, magnitude 7.1 MS. (reference #1206)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 10, 1877, Off North Coast, Chile
- July 30, 1995, Antofagasta, Calama, Mejillones, Chile
- December 7, 1953, Northern, Chile
- November 14, 2007, Tocopilla, Maria Elena, Chile
- December 21, 1967, Northern, Chile
- July 3, 1836, Cobija, Chile
- June 19, 1970, Northern, Chile
- November 3, 1933, Chile
- October 4, 1940, Northern, Chile
- November 19, 1873, Antofagasta, Chile
- June 12, 1878, Northern, Chile
- May 15, 1877, Huanillos, Northern, Chile
- July 29, 1957, Antofagasta, Chile
- December 26, 1948, Antofagasta, Chile
- October 19, 1929, Chile
More
Significant earthquakes of 1928The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1928Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 6081.