M 6.0 Earthquake 36 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile

Source: USGS · Chile

Areazine synthesizes this USGS earthquake report directly from USGS's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 36 km northwest of Valparaíso, Chile, at a depth of 15.7 km on May 1, 2026.

What this USGS earthquake report tells you, and what most readers miss

This notice was issued by USGS on June 9, 2026 and geographically references Chile. Its severity classification of "high" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - Earthquakes - determines the monitoring protocol behind it, which shapes what follow-up action (checking for structural damage, watching for aftershocks, reviewing local building codes) is relevant and which agency holds authority over the assessment.

Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to verify its scope, source, and timestamp, then compare related notices without assuming that one record proves a broader trend.

Areazine pairs this record with the original agency URL so you can check the primary source before acting. Its related labels are earthquake, seismic, usgs, Chile.

What Happened

A M 6.0 mww earthquake occurred 36 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile, at 12:14:17 UTC on May 1, 2026 (Unix time 1780263257122). The event was located at coordinates 32.7679°S, 71.8524°W with a depth of 15.682 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was centered 36 km northwest of Valparaíso, Chile. The shallow depth of 15.682 km (less than 20 km) places it in the upper crust.

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 81 people, with a maximum reported intensity (CDI) of 5.8 and MMI of 5.121. The USGS issued a green alert level. No tsunami was generated (tsunami flag: 0).

What You Should Know

Earthquakes of this magnitude can be followed by aftershocks. Residents should follow standard earthquake safety procedures such as drop, cover, and hold on during shaking.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000spqc

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

All Earthquakes →

Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8

Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.

What is this USGS earthquake report about?
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 36 km northwest of Valparaíso, Chile, at a depth of 15.7 km on May 1, 2026.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by USGS. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Chile. Check with USGS for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Earthquakes updates?
Browse the full Earthquakes feed on Areazine at areazine.com/earthquakes/ for the latest updates from USGS and other agencies.