Earthquakes in Chile — December 2024

24 earthquakes were recorded in Chile during December 2024, an average of 0.8 per day.

23 reached magnitude 4 or above and 2 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 82 km.

The month's largest event in Chile was a magnitude 6.4 earthquake near Molina, Chile on 13 December 2024 at 23:38 UTC. A magnitude 6.4 earthquake radiates roughly 60,036 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the Chile monthly average of 11 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 14 recorded the previous month.

42% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 58% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). A substantial share of intermediate-depth events points to a subducting slab beneath the region rather than purely crustal faulting.

By band, the catalogue holds 1 in the magnitude 3 range, 21 in the magnitude 4 range, 1 in the magnitude 5 range, 1 in the magnitude 6 range.

Activity peaked on 18 December, when 3 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M6.4 near Molina, Chile on 13 December at 109 km; M5.2 near Alto Hospicio, Chile on 18 December at 59 km; M4.9 near Calama, Chile on 13 December at 95 km.

That is 118% above the 11 events Chile averages per month across the 2 months on record.

This month also holds the strongest earthquake recorded in Chile in our entire catalogue.