March 5, 1987 Earthquake: Antofagasta, Arica, Chile

Name: March 5, 1987 Earthquake: Antofagasta, Arica, Chile
Start: 1987-03-05
Location: Antofagasta, Arica, Chile

March 5, 1987 · M7.3 · 1 death

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Antofagasta, Arica, Chile on March 5, 1987 at 09:17:05 UTC, 62 km below the surface. It killed 1 person.

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: March 5, 1987
Time: 09:17:05 UTC
Place: Antofagasta, Arica, Chile
Magnitude: 7.3 (Ms)
Focal depth: 62 km (39 mi)
Intensity: 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 24.388° S, 70.161° W
Country: Chile

The toll

Deaths: 1
Damage: Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

On March 5, 1987 at 09:17:05.2 UTC a magnitude 7.3 MS earthquake occurred near the coast of northern Chile. One person was killed and damage (VI) occurred in the Antofagasta area. Felt (VI) at Chuquicamata; (V) in the Taltal-Toconao-Colama area; (IV) at Arica; (III) at Vallenar. The earthquake generated a tsunami. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1987 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1987 Recent earthquakes near here This 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 5129.