A strong meteotsunami impacted Argentina’s Atlantic coast on January 12, generating an abrupt sea-level rise and destructive waves that struck Santa Clara del Mar and nearby beaches in Mar Chiquita Partido. The event occurred during the late afternoon, between 16:20 and 17:00 local time (19:20–20:00 UTC), while beaches were full under hot summer conditions. Witnesses…
At least one person has been injured by wildfires that have burned over 15 000 ha (37 000 acres) across the Chubut Province since early January 2026. On Sunday, January 11, the governor confirmed that the largest of the fires was set off intentionally, and a reward has been placed for any information on the culprits.
A period of renewed eruptive activity occurred at Planchón-Peteroa volcanic complex on the Chile–Argentina border between late October and early November 2025. Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC) Buenos Aires issued multiple warnings for continuous ash emissions reaching altitudes of up to 4 600 m (15 000 feet). Local monitoring networks reported persistent degassing and minor explosions. The volcanic alert level remains at Yellow.
A major and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.6 struck the Drake Passage at 20:29 UTC on October 10, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 10.5 km (6 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.7 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), hazardous tsunami waves are possible within 1 000 km (620 miles) of the epicenter.
The Argentine Geological and Mining Service (SEGEMAR) reported increased surface activity at the Planchón-Peteroa volcanic complex starting at 01:00 LT (04:00 UTC) on October 3, 2025, including emissions of fine volcanic ash rising up to 250 m (820 feet) above the crater. The technical alert remains at Yellow, with continued binational monitoring by SEGEMAR and Chile’s National Geology and Mining Service (SERNAGEOMIN).
A fireball with an impact energy of 0.38 kilotons (380 tons of TNT equivalent) was detected at 22:26 UTC on September 13, 2025, at an altitude of 22.8 km (14.2 miles) over central Argentina. The event was observed from multiple provinces and produced a persistent trail and visible fragmentation.
A moderate earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.9 hit the Chile–Argentina border region at 04:10 UTC on September 4, 2025. The agency reported a depth of 176 km (109 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
A polar air mass originating from Antarctica brought record low temperatures to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay between June 30 and July 3, 2024, causing at least 15 deaths and prompting emergency shelter activation and gas supply restrictions across the region.
Chile recorded some of its coldest temperatures in history on June 30, as a polar wave brought subzero conditions from the Altiplano to Patagonia. The extreme cold led to closure of a key border crossing between Chile and Argentina starting on July 1 due to ice and snow accumulations.
Torrential rains struck northern Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, between May 16 and 18, 2025, forcing over 4 100 people to evacuate and leaving several others missing. The storms brought more than 400 mm (16 inches) of rainfall, flooding towns, closing major highways, and disrupting the regional soybean harvest.
