October 4, 1940 Earthquake: Northern, Chile
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Northern, Chile on October 4, 1940 at 07:54:42 UTC, 75 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
- October 4, 1940
- Time
- 07:54:42 UTC
- Place
- Northern, Chile
- Magnitude
- 7.3 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 75 km (47 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 22.000° S, 71.000° 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.
October 4, 1940, 07:54:42 UTC, 22 S, 71 W, magnitude 7.3 MS, depth 75 km. (reference #88)
October 4, 1940, 07:54:42 UTC, 22 S, 71 W, magnitude 7.3 MS, depth 75 km. (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
- November 14, 2007, Tocopilla, Maria Elena, Chile
- December 21, 1967, Northern, Chile
- November 3, 1933, Chile
- June 19, 1970, Northern, Chile
- November 20, 1928, Northern, Chile
- July 3, 1836, Cobija, Chile
- May 15, 1877, Huanillos, Northern, Chile
- August 21, 1869, Iquique, Chile
- April 3, 2014, Iquique, Northern, Chile
- November 28, 1970, Northern, Chile
- July 29, 1957, Antofagasta, Chile
- November 19, 1873, Antofagasta, Chile
- June 12, 1878, Northern, Chile
More
Significant earthquakes of 1940The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1940Recent 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 6323.