Significant earthquakes of 2003

June 20, 2003 Earthquake: San Juan, Ovalle, Coquimbo, Argentina, Chile

June 20, 2003 · M6.8

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck San Juan, Ovalle, Coquimbo, Argentina, Chile on June 20, 2003 at 13:30:41 UTC, 33 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
June 20, 2003
Time
13:30:41 UTC
Place
San Juan, Ovalle, Coquimbo, Argentina, Chile
Magnitude
6.8 (Mw)
Focal depth
33 km (21 mi)
Intensity
6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
30.608° S, 71.637° W
Country
Chile

The toll

Injuries
1
Damage
Limited (under about $1 million)
Houses damaged
Some (about 51 to 100)

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.

One person injured in San Juan, Argentina. Some buildings and transformers damaged (VI) and utilities disrupted at Ovalle, Chile. Felt (V) at Coquimbo, Illapel, La Serena, Salamanca and San Felipe; (IV) at Copiapo, San Antonio, Santiago,

Vallenar, Valparaiso and Vina del Mar; (III) at Huasco; (II) at Curico, Linares, Rancagua, San Fernando and Talca. Felt throughout western Argentina and by people in high-rise buildings at Buenos Aires. (reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 2003The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2003Recent 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 5688.