Under land 105 kilometer from Calama in Chile, a M4.8 earthquake occurred in the early afternoon of Wednesday July 22nd, 2026.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Chile, 105 kilometer (65 mi) south-east of Calama in Antofagasta. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 112 km.
| Date and Time: | Jul 22, 2026 13:34 (Santiago Time) - Jul 22, 2026 17:34 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 105 km SE of Calama, Antofagasta, Chile. Coordinates 23°18'43"S 68°29'14"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 4.8 Detected by 10 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.098 . |
| Depth: | 112 km (69 mi) An intermediate 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
This earthquake may have been felt in Chile . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Calama in Antofagasta, Chile. Calama is located 105 kilometer (65 mi) south-east of the epicenter.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 105 km (65 mi) NW from epicenter |
Calama Antofagasta, Chile. |
| 198 km (123 mi) W from epicenter |
Antofagasta Antofagasta, Chile. |
| 222 km (138 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tocopilla Antofagasta, Chile. |
8 Aftershocks detected
After this earthquake struck, 8 smaller aftershocks occurred. A 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit 8 hrs later 54 km (33 mi) west of this earthquake.
Before this earthquake struck, 11 smaller foreshocks occurred. A 4.6 magnitude earthquake hit 6 hrs earlier nearby.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 2.8 |
3 days earlier Jul 19, 2026 22:39 (Santiago Time) | 95 km (59 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.5 |
2 days earlier Jul 20, 2026 04:05 (Santiago Time) | 81 km (51 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.5 |
2 days earlier Jul 20, 2026 14:33 (Santiago Time) | 63 km (39 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
2 days earlier Jul 20, 2026 18:24 (Santiago Time) | 83 km (51 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
1 day earlier Jul 21, 2026 06:14 (Santiago Time) | 70 km (44 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.5 |
22 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 15:33 (Santiago Time) | 78 km (48 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.9 |
20 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 17:08 (Santiago Time) | 91 km (57 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
19 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 19:03 (Santiago Time) | 74 km (46 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.6 |
6 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 07:37 (Santiago Time) | 50 km (31 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
6 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 07:48 (Santiago Time) | 67 km (41 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
4 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 09:08 (Santiago Time) | 67 km (41 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 4.8 |
Jul 22, 2026 13:34 (Santiago Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 4.7 |
8 hrs later Jul 22, 2026 21:56 (Santiago Time) | 54 km (33 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.7 |
15 hrs later Jul 23, 2026 04:06 (Santiago Time) | 76 km (47 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.8 |
1 day later Jul 23, 2026 17:11 (Santiago Time) | 53 km (33 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
1 day later Jul 24, 2026 01:31 (Santiago Time) | 81 km (50 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.9 |
3 days later Jul 25, 2026 03:45 (Santiago Time) | 66 km (41 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.6 |
3 days later Jul 25, 2026 06:05 (Santiago Time) | 81 km (50 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
3 days later Jul 25, 2026 06:11 (Santiago Time) | 63 km (39 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.9 |
3 days later Jul 25, 2026 06:58 (Santiago Time) | 84 km (52 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
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 happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since June 20th, 2026, when a 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit 251 km (156 mi) further east. An even stronger magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on July 19th, 2024.
In total, 301 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.8 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 12 days.
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 4.8. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 112 km (69 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 17/08/26 20:58 (). 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 us7000t2h9
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260722_0000267
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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