Strong and shallow M6.0 earthquake hits near Valparaíso, Chile

The epicenter was located 36 km (22 miles) NW of Valparaíso (population 282 448), 40 km (25 miles) SE of Viña del Mar (population 294 551), 50 km (30.6 miles) NW of Quilpué (population 130 263), 55 km (33 miles) SE of Villa Alemana (population 97 320), and 58 km (36 miles) ESE of Quillota (population 67 779), Chile.

51 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking, 8 449 000 light and 2 261 000 weak.

There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.

The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe block and rubble/field stone masonry construction.

Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides and liquefaction that might have contributed to losses.

Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking

Selected cities exposed

Regional seismicity

References:

¹ M6.0 earthquake offshore Valparaíso, Chile – USGS – May 31, 2026

² M6.0 earthquake offshore Valparaíso, Chile – EMSC – May 31, 2026

Teo Blašković

I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.

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