December 29, 1972 Earthquake: Central, Chile

Date

December 29, 1972

Time

04:51:01 UTC

Place

Central, Chile

Magnitude

5.4 (Ms)

Focal depth

60 km (37 mi)

Tsunami

Yes: the tsunami it caused

Epicenter

30.600° S, 71.000° W

Country

Chile

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

• September 16, 2015, Central, ChileM8.3 · 15 deaths · $600 million · 2,305 houses destroyed · 126 km
• April 6, 1943, Illapel, ChileM8.2 · 11 deaths · 97 km
• October 15, 1997, Pueblo Nuevo, Coquimbo, LA Chimba, ChileM7.1 · 8 deaths · $48 million · 5,000 houses destroyed · 43 km
• January 20, 2019, Coquimbo, LA Serena, ChileM6.7 · 2 deaths · $100 million · 72 km
• March 13, 1975, Coquimbo, LA Serena, ChileM6.9 · 2 deaths · 83 km
• August 15, 1880, Illapel, ChileM7.7 · 2 deaths · 600 houses destroyed · 115 km
• April 19, 1955, ChileM7.1 · 1 death · 117 km
• June 20, 2003, San Juan, Ovalle, Coquimbo, Argentina, ChileM6.8 · 61 km
• December 1639, Chile77 km
• April 24, 1858, La Serena, ChileM6.5 · Deaths: few · 77 km
• August 9, 1869, Coquimbo, Chile77 km
• June 8, 1972, Central, ChileM6.6 · 77 km
• November 17, 1849, Coquimbo, ChileM7.5 · Deaths: few · 81 km
• December 1604, Chile83 km
• December 17, 1843, Chile83 km

Significant earthquakes of 1972The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1972Recent 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 6442.