A significant MAG-5.1 earthquake struck under land 110 kilometer from Calama in Chile in the early afternoon of Wednesday July 22nd, 2026.
Felt the earthquake? Share this article: 
Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Chile, 110 kilometer (68 mi) south of Calama in Antofagasta. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 109 km.
| Date and Time: | Jul 22, 2026 13:34 (Santiago Time) - Jul 22, 2026 17:34 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 110 km south of Calama, Antofagasta, Chile. Coordinates 23°22'36"S 68°31'38"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 9 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.103 . |
| Depth: | 109 km (68 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 . Calama in Antofagasta, Chile is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 110 kilometer (68 mi) south of Calama.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 110 km (68 mi) N from epicenter |
Calama Antofagasta, Chile. |
| 193 km (120 mi) W from epicenter |
Antofagasta Antofagasta, Chile. |
| 223 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tocopilla Antofagasta, Chile. |
Aftershocks detected
In the days before this main shock, 11 smaller foreshocks were detected. Roughly 6 hrs before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.6 was detected nearby this earthquake.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 2.8 |
3 days earlier Jul 19, 2026 22:39 (Santiago Time) | 86 km (54 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.5 |
2 days earlier Jul 20, 2026 04:05 (Santiago Time) | 88 km (54 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) | 82 km (51 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
1 day earlier Jul 21, 2026 06:14 (Santiago Time) | 63 km (39 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.5 |
22 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 15:33 (Santiago Time) | 80 km (50 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.9 |
20 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 17:08 (Santiago Time) | 95 km (59 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
19 hrs earlier Jul 21, 2026 19:03 (Santiago Time) | 79 km (49 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.6 |
6 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 07:37 (Santiago Time) | 55 km (34 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
6 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 07:48 (Santiago Time) | 73 km (45 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
4 hrs earlier Jul 22, 2026 09:08 (Santiago Time) | 68 km (42 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.1 |
Jul 22, 2026 13:34 (Santiago Time) | - |
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.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
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 May 25th, 2026, when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit 113 km (70 mi) further north. An even stronger magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on July 19th, 2024.
In total, 90 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 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 month.
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 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 109 km (68 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 22/07/26 23:58 (). 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 us7000t2h9
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260722_0000267
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
Share this article:
