Under land 38 kilometer from Añatuya in Argentina, a significant MAG-5.6 earthquake occurred in the morning of Saturday December 27th, 2025. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 540 thousand people.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Argentina, 38 kilometer (24 mi) northwest of Añatuya in Santiago del Estero. The center of this earthquake had a very deep depth of 588 km. Deep earthquakes usually have less impact than shallower earthquakes of similar strenght.
| Date and Time: | Dec 27, 2025 07:40 (Cordoba Time) - Dec 27, 2025 10:40 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 38 km NW of Añatuya, Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Coordinates 28°16'12"S 63°9'19"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.6 Detected by 36 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.052 . |
| Depth: | 588 km (366 mi) A very deep depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | II
Weak On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Minimal impact predicted
Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.
The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 68% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 98% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.
Roughly 540 thousand people exposed to shaking
The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 540 thousand have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.
The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is II, which corresponds with very weak shaking and no damage. Roughly 536,400 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level I was experienced by the majority of people (around 1.4 million). In their region, not noticeable and no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Argentina .
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,369,000 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 536,400 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 0 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 0 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
| 0 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
| 0 | VI |
Strong | Light |
| 0 | VII |
Very Strong | Moderate |
| 0 | VIII |
Severe | Moderate to heavy |
| 0 | IX |
Violent | Heavy |
| 0 | X |
Extreme | Very heavy |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Argentina . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Añatuya in Santiago del Estero, Argentina. Añatuya is located 38 kilometer (24 mi) northwest of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Añatuya is estimated to be around level II on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (very weak shaking, no damage).
Major cities near this earthquake: San Miguel de Tucumán is located 260 km to the northwest (intensity unknown, possibly low). Santiago del Estero is located 121 km to the west-northwest and experienced an intensity of II (very weak shaking, no damage). Catamarca is located 258 km to the west (intensity unknown, possibly low).
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place | Intensity (MMI) |
|---|---|---|
| 38 km (24 mi) SE from epicenter |
Añatuya Santiago del Estero, Argentina. |
II
Weak |
| 121 km (75 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Santiago del Estero Santiago del Estero, Argentina. |
II
Weak |
| 188 km (117 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Termas de Río Hondo Santiago del Estero, Argentina. |
I
Not felt |
| 212 km (132 mi) ENE from epicenter |
General Pinedo Chaco, Argentina. |
I
Not felt |
| 226 km (140 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Charata Chaco, Argentina. |
I
Not felt |
| 243 km (151 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Las Breñas Chaco, Argentina. |
|
| 252 km (157 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Villa Ángela Chaco, Argentina. |
|
| 252 km (157 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Bella Vista Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 253 km (157 mi) NW from epicenter |
Alderetes Tucuman, Argentina. |
I
Not felt |
| 258 km (160 mi) W from epicenter |
Catamarca Catamarca, Argentina. |
|
| 259 km (161 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Aguilares Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 259 km (161 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Famaillá Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 260 km (162 mi) NW from epicenter |
San Miguel de Tucumán Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 261 km (162 mi) WNW from epicenter |
Monteros Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 266 km (165 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Deán Funes Cordoba, Argentina. |
|
| 267 km (166 mi) NW from epicenter |
Yerba Buena Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 269 km (167 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tafí Viejo Tucuman, Argentina. |
|
| 294 km (183 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Morteros Cordoba, Argentina. |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is II.
Risk of aftershocks?
We monitor for foreshocks or aftershocks that have a magnitude of 2.5+ and occur within 100km (62 mi) of the epicenter of this earthquake. So far no such earthquakes have been detected.
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
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 October 2nd, 2025, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 136 km (85 mi) further north. An even stronger magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on January 20th, 2023.
In total, 6 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.6 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 2 years.
Tsunami very unlikely
It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. However always 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 | Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.6. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 588 km (366 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 27/12/25 19:38 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000rl1p
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20251227_0000148
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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