M4.2 earthquake near Vallenar, Atacama

What happened

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck 39 km S of Vallenar, Chile on 20 Dec 2021, 01:26 UTC at a depth of 110 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Light. Widely felt nearby; objects may shake or fall. Significant damage is unusual. This was an intermediate-depth earthquake, so shaking is spread over a wider, gentler area.

The nearest town in our records is Vallenar, about 40 km away in Atacama, Chile.