Five foreign tourists died after being trapped by a powerful snowstorm in Torres del Paine National Park, southern Chile, on Monday, November 17, 2025. Four other members of the group were rescued alive amid strong winds and heavy snow.
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 tornado stuck northeastern Linares, Chile on September 20, 2025, damaging multiple homes and leaving over 800 customers out of power.
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 large fire originating in a clothing warehouse severely damaged at least 10 homes in the Chillancito sector of Concepción, Biobío Region, Chile, on July 24, 2025. The blaze began around 08:30 local time (LT) and displaced 50 people.
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.
Snow blanketed Chile’s Atacama Desert on June 26, 2025, disrupting transport and closing schools across Tarapacá, Antofagasta, and Atacama regions.
