Tremors in Chile: 3.9 magnitude earthquake with epicenter in Mina Collahuasi

The earthquake began at 07:44 hours (local time) (Infobae)

A new tremor took the Chilean city of Mina Collahuasi by surprise, when the earth began to move at 07:44 hours (local time) this Sunday, September 24.

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According to preliminary information from the National Seismological Center (CSN), the seismic activity was of 3.9 magnitude and a depth of 119.0 kilometers.

The exact location of the epicenter was 47.0 kilometers southwest of the city, with coordinates -68.89 degrees longitude and -21.19 degrees latitude.

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Remember that in the event of any earthquake, follow information only from official sources, avoid falling into rumors or fake news.

After an earthquake, check your home for possible damage, use your cell phone only in case of emergency, avoid saturating telephone lines, do not light matches or candles until you are sure there is no gas leak. It is important to mention that after a major earthquake, aftershocks may occur, so it is important to be alert.

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An earthquake can happen at any moment, so it is important to be prepared with the following measures: prepare a civil protection plan, organize evacuation drills, find safety zones at home, school or workplace and prepare a backpack of emergency.

During an earthquake, stay calm and find a safe place, stay away from objects that could fall, do not use elevators, or stay in a stairwell or door frame.

If you are in a car, park and stand away from buildings, trees and poles; If you are on the coast, leave the beach and take refuge in high areas, given the possibility of a tsunami; And if you are in a wheelchair and cannot move to a safe place, brake the wheels and protect your head and neck with your arms.

(Jovani Perez/Infobae)

Chile is one of the countries with the most seismic activity in the world, this is due to its geographical and geotectonic location, since it is within one of the areas with the greatest energy release, in the permanent convergence of the “Nazca Plate” and the “South American Plate”, in the so-called subdiction zone.

In addition, the country is located in a region known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, considered the region with the largest number of volcanoes and earthquakes on the planet.

This area concentrates 75% of the volcanoes that exist in the world and includes more than 450 volcanic structures. In addition, it is where 90% of the seismic activity worldwide and 81% of the strongest telluric movements on the planet occur.

Only in Chile have 50% of the tsunamis recorded in the world occurred, according to information from the Department of Emergency and Disaster Risk Management.

Pacific Ring of Fire covers the entire Pacific coast, starting in Chile, passing through Central America, Mexico, the United States, traveling through the Aleutian Islands, then down the coasts of Russia, Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines, until reaching New Zealand.

Some volcanoes that are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire and that have generated major eruptions with great damage on a global scale are: Krakatoa in Indonesia, Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Saint Helena in the United States, Chichón in Mexico and the Nevado del Ruiz in Colombia, among others.

Every time a major earthquake or eruption occurs in this region, fear arises that the Pacific Ring of Fire will “activate” leaving more natural disasters in its wake, however, this is not possible, since each earthquake or activity volcanic are mostly independent of each other, that is, they are not directly related.

Since 1570, around one hundred strong earthquakes have been recorded in Chile, of which almost thirty were of magnitude greater than 8.

According to the Department of Emergency and Disaster Risk Management, on average, an earthquake above magnitude 8 occurs every 10 years. These are some of the most relevant earthquakes recorded in the history of Chile.

The strongest earthquake in history

On the afternoon of May 22, 1960, the largest earthquake on record occurred, with magnitude 9.5, with the city of Traiguén, in the province of Malleco, as its epicenter. However, it is known as the “Valdivia earthquake” because it was where there was the most damage.

The seismic activity also caused a tsunami with waves up to 10 meters high that devastated much of the south of the country. The tsunami was felt beyond Chile, reaching Asia, in Japan, for example, it was hit with waves six meters high, leaving several dead and significant damage in its wake.

The official death toll is not precise, it is only known that there were more than 2 thousand victims.

The last great earthquake

The last major earthquake that shook Chile was the one known as “27F” that occurred on February 27, 2010, the second strongest earthquake in its history.

With a magnitude of 8.8, the earthquake had its epicenter on the coasts of the Maule region and surprised the population during the early hours of the morning.

As in 1960, less than an hour after the earthquake, a tsunami hit the country, mainly in the regions of Maule and Biobío. Outside of Chile, the tsunami reached Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica, without major damage.

As a result of the earthquake, more than 500 people died and around fifty were missing.

The most recent strong earthquake in Chile was 8.8 magnitude (Photographic and Digital Archive of the National Library of Chile)

The deadliest earthquake

On the night of January 24, 1939, the deadliest earthquake in the history of Chile occurred. An earthquake of magnitude 8.3 was felt from Valparaíso and to Temuco, however, it was in Concepción and Chillán where the most damage was concentrated.

This seismic activity was known as the Chillán earthquake because it was right there that it caused the most destruction, just saying that more than half of its buildings fell.

As a result of the earthquake, electricity, telephone and telegraph services were interrupted, there was no transportation, the railway station was left in the ground and the disaster caused a lack of food and water.

Although it is estimated that around 30,000 people died from the earthquake, only a little more than 5,000 victims were identified (Photographic and Digital Archive of the National Library of Chile).

The Chillán earthquake of 1939 is the earthquake that has claimed the most fatalities in Chile. The official death toll was 24,000, but some estimate that it was close to 30,000, although only 5,685 were identified.

Other earthquakes

In addition to the earthquakes mentioned, there have been other important ones in the history of Chile.

For example, two other telluric activities with magnitude greater than 8.5 have been recorded, however, these have happened more than 100 years ago -not counting the tremors already mentioned-, according to CSN records.

In the early morning of July 8, 1730, an earthquake of magnitude 8.7 was felt in Valparaíso that left around 3,000 victims. Another earthquake, this time a magnitude 8.8, was reported in Arica on the night of September 16, 1615, which surprisingly left no deaths.

On the other hand, there are two more earthquakes that left more than 2 thousand deaths: on the night of May 9, 1877, in Iquique, an earthquake of magnitude 8.5 was recorded; and that of the morning of February 8, 1570, which had a magnitude of 8.3.

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