Earthquake.now

M6.2 Earthquake near Ovalle, Chile — 12 February 2026

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.2 was recorded near Ovalle, Chile on , with an epicentre 32 km southwest of Ovalle, at a focal depth of 36.9 km.

6.2 Strong

Time (UTC): 2026-02-12 13:34:31

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 6.2 (strong)

Focal depth: 36.9 km (shallow)

Epicentre: -30.8012, -71.4451

Location: 32 km SW of Ovalle, Chile

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 638, which meets the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at -30.8012, -71.4451 — 32 km southwest of Ovalle. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.8 earthquake 2 km southeast of here on 16 February 2026.

Why the 37 km depth matters

At 37 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →

Aftershocks and local seismic history

3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.8.

147 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near Valparaíso on 31 May 2026. This M6.2 event released about 2.0 times more energy than that event.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the February 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 6 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong is a magnitude 6.2 earthquake?

Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Ovalle?

At 37 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.

Was the M6.2 earthquake near Ovalle felt?

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.

What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

Have there been aftershocks?

3 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.8.

How often do earthquakes happen near Ovalle?

147 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.0 event near Valparaíso on 31 May 2026. This M6.2 event released about 2.0 times more energy than that event.