In the late afternoon of Tuesday December 30th, 2025, a significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit under land 76 kilometer from Villamontes in Bolivia. Another country near the epicenter is Argentina.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Bolivia, 76 kilometer (47 mi) north-northeast of Villamontes in Tarija. The center of this earthquake had a deep depth of 547 km.
| Date and Time: | Dec 30, 2025 16:26 (La Paz Time) - Dec 30, 2025 20:26 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 76 km NNE of Villamontes, Tarija, Bolivia. Coordinates 20°40'15"S 63°6'42"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 22 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.066 . |
| Depth: | 547 km (340 mi) A deep depth. |
| 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. |
Nearby towns and cities
2 countries can be found within 300km of the epicenter of this earthquake: Bolivia and Argentina .
The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Villamontes in Tarija, Bolivia. Villamontes is located 76 kilometer (47 mi) north-northeast of the epicenter.
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 76 km (47 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Villamontes Tarija, Bolivia. |
| 82 km (51 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Camiri Santa Cruz, Bolivia. |
| 193 km (120 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Tarija Tarija, Bolivia. |
| 217 km (135 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Tartagal Salta, Argentina. |
| 226 km (140 mi) SSW from epicenter |
General Mosconi Salta, Argentina. |
| 262 km (163 mi) SSW from epicenter |
Bermejo Tarija, Bolivia. |
| 284 km (176 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Tupiza Potosí, Bolivia. |
| 289 km (180 mi) NW from epicenter |
Sucre Chuquisaca, Bolivia. |
| 300 km (186 mi) N from epicenter |
Santiago del Torno Santa Cruz, Bolivia. |
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
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).This is the strongest earthquake in 5 years
Earthquakes of this strength occur quite regularly in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since March 21st, 2021, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 160 km (99 mi) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on April 2nd, 2018.
In total, 6 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 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 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 547 km (340 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 07/01/26 20:58 (). 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 us7000rlkk
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20251230_0000278
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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