Significant earthquakes of 2002

April 18, 2002 Earthquake: Copiapo, Taltal, Chile

April 18, 2002 · M6.6 · 34 houses destroyed

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Copiapo, Taltal, Chile on April 18, 2002 at 16:08:36 UTC, 62 km below the surface.

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
April 18, 2002
Time
16:08:36 UTC
Place
Copiapo, Taltal, Chile
Magnitude
6.6 (Mw)
Focal depth
62 km (39 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
27.535° S, 70.586° W
Country
Chile

The toll

Injuries
19
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed
34
Houses damaged
575

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.

At least 19 people injured, 2,424 homeless, 34 homes destroyed and 575 damaged (VII) in Atacama. Rockslides blocked roads near Copiapo. Power and telephone outages occurred at Copiapo and water lines were broken at Chanaral. Felt (VI) at Chanaral, Taltal and Vallenar; (V) at Alto del Carmen, Caldera, Diego del Almagro, Huasco and Mejillones; (IV) at Antofagasta, Calama, La Serena, Maria Elena, Ovalle

and San Pedro de Atacama; (III) at Quillota, San Antonio, Santiago and Valparaiso; (II) at Rancagua and Talca. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 2002The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2002Recent 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 5630.