December 18, 1956 Earthquake: Antofagasta, Chile

Date

December 18, 1956

Time

02:31:03 UTC

Place

Antofagasta, Chile

Focal depth

33 km (21 mi)

Tsunami

Yes: the tsunami it caused

Epicenter

25.500° S, 71.000° W

Country

Chile

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

• October 4, 1983, Copoapo-Chanaral, Northern, ChileM7.3 · 5 deaths · $1 million · 40 houses destroyed · 123 km
• December 28, 1966, Taltal, Catalina, ChileM7.8 · 3 deaths · $400,000 · 30 km
• August 2, 1946, Northern, ChileM7.9 · 2 deaths · 122 km
• March 5, 1987, Antofagasta, Arica, ChileM7.3 · 1 death · 150 km
• July 13, 1936, Taltal, ChileM7.3 · 1 death · 150 km
• June 17, 1971, Catalina, Antofagasta, ChileM6.3 · 1 death · 181 km
• February 23, 1965, Northern, ChileM7 · 42 km
• December 4, 1918, Copiapo, ChileM7.8 · Deaths: few · 56 km
• May 15, 1925, Northern, ChileM7.1 · 75 km
• February 5, 1988, Taltal, ChileM6.7 · 101 km
• August 3, 1978, Copiapo-Taltai, Northern, ChileM7 · 121 km
• June 8, 1909, ChileM7.6 · 122 km
• October 9, 1877, Chile167 km
• April 12, 1819, Copiapo, ChileM8.5 · Deaths: few · 174 km
• April 18, 1939, North Central, ChileM7.4 · 174 km

Significant earthquakes of 1956The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1956Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

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 6375.