In the South Pacific Ocean 297 kilometer from Puerto Aysén, Chile, a shallow and significant MAG-5.3 earthquake occurred in the evening of Monday September 2nd, 2024.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the South Pacific Ocean, 145 kilometers (90 mi) off the coast of Chile, 297 kilometer west of Puerto Aysén in Aysén. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Sep 2, 2024 21:21 (Santiago Time) - Sep 3, 2024 01:21 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 297 km west of Puerto Aysén, Aysén, Chile. Coordinates 45°34'55"S 76°29'50"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 26 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.061 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Chile . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Puerto Aysén in Aysén, Chile. Puerto Aysén is located 297 kilometer (185 mi) west of the epicenter.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 297 km (185 mi) E from epicenter |
Puerto Aysén Aysén, Chile. |
Aftershocks detected
In the days before this main shock, 1 smaller foreshock was detected. A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit 5 mins earlier nearby.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 4.8 |
5 mins earlier Sep 2, 2024 21:16 (Santiago Time) | 16 km (10 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.3 |
Sep 2, 2024 21:21 (Santiago Time) | - |
More earthquakes coming?
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this are common in the region
Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since May 27th, 2023, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 148 km (92 mi) further west-northwest. An even stronger magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck on July 15th, 2022.
In total, 11 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every year.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 16/09/24 02:58 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000npej
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20240903_0000017
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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