Earthquake overview : At 06:37 PM a very strong earthquake struck the Talca area in Chile.
"I have Felt it" Reports --> see below + Let us know "how you have felt this earthquake"
To read the full story as it happened, we advise our readers to start at the lower part of the page (earthquake data).
Check also our Chile-only earthquake list
With contributions of Carlos Robles (Spanish speaking)
Keep this page open or return regularly as we will be back with more details when they become available
Structural damage in a school in Constitucion - image courtesy soychile.cl
Update 27/03 - 07:46 UTC :
- A part of the the "Liceo de Constitucion", a school with 800 students, has been seriously damaged. Engineers are investigating whether the damage is structural or not. There is still a chance that (some) school buildings have to be demolished.
- Subtel has concluded that the Internet ( ER 🙂 ), Text messages (SMS) and social networks (Twitter and Facebook as examples) are absolutely best in case of emergencies. (ER : Subtel confirms what we have concluded ourselves since many many months).
- Chile authorities will investigate why the Marina Arauco shopping mall in Viña del Mar has not followed the ONEMI orders to follow shopping mall parking provisions (parking barriers up or down). Mall management said that it was "only" a tsunami advisory (preventive), not a tsunami alert. The local authorities will investigate whether this was an infringement or not and will eventually advise ONEMI to further fine-tune the emergency tsunami directory.
Constitucion before the destructive earthquake from February 27 2010 - image courtesy Christian Latorre
Update 18:59 UTC :
ONEMI reports that school classes in Constitución remain suspended until every school has been inspected on possible structural damage. Some parts of Constitución are still without drinking water and electricity. All efforts are made to return to normality. (source : ONEMI situation report 12:42 local time)
Update 13:13 UTC : Miguel Ortiz, the person in charge for early alerts, made the following statement at 09:05 local time :
- An estimated 24,283 people have followed the local ONEMI advise for precautionary evacuation (between the regions of Valparaíso and Bío Bio). Of these, 14,320 people belong to the Bío Bío Region, 9360 to the Maule Region and the rest in the O'Higgins / Valparaiso Region.
- In Maule, power was lost, but has been restored now (8,000 families affected).
- 18 aftershocks have been recorded so far, luckily only 4 of them felt by the population.
- ONEMI sites worked well and were reachable at all times
- The video below has been recorded by an amateur who was filming in the shopping mall of Talca. Talca was only 27 km from the epicenter (following USGS). Local Chile agencies have located the epicenter closer to the coast.
Update 13:00 UTC : An earthquake during a football match. Why not simply continue the game ! The commentators are mentioning it, the camera start to wobble and even the stadium speaker announces the earthquake, but .... the game continues. The game was played in Santiago de Chile against ... Palestino. The Palestinians must have thought that the war was following them (just kidding as Palestino is a Chilean football club). Palestino won with 1-0.
Update 07:38 UTC : So far, Universidad de Chile has listed 15 aftershocks ranging from M3.1 to M 4.8
Recalculated shaking map, based on a Magnitude of 7.1 and a depth of 34.8 km - image courtesy USGS
Important Update 07:38 UTC : Some very interesting analysis on phone traffic has been given by Subtel, the chile telecommunications authority.
- only 15 to 20% of people were able to call other people during the first hours after the earthquake
- SMS (text messages) was a lot better, but due to the overheated networks, not everyone could be served neither.
- The reason : VOICE CALLS are blocking telecommunications because they are consuming far too much bandwidth vs Text messages. 1 voice call of 180 seconds uses the same bandwidth than 100 SMS's (text messages).
Earthquake-Report.com sees this over and over again in almost every major earthquake worldwide.
The simple solution : Make legislation to oblige mobile telecommunication operators to automatically shut down voice calls (except for emergency services and people who have exceptional reasons to use it), send an SMS (text message) to all clients that explains what is done and for what reason and let them know that only SMS (text) can be used until further message. Most telecommunication software is equipped with cell broadcast.
Update 07:20 UTC : The Chilean government has canceled the preventive evacuation at 23:46 local time.
Update 07:00 UTC : During the early hours after the mainshock, seismological agencies have changed the epicenter a couple of times. USGS did locate the epicenter at first in the Pacific Ocean, approx. 25 km out of the coast. After a recalculation, the epicenter was located below land at 27 km from Talca. EMSC has reported an epicenter also to the NW of Talca. GEOFON puts the epicenter also below land and closer to Constitucion than to Talca, a difference of tens of km.
Universidad de Chile, Santiago, a local trusted seismological agency has reported the the epicenter below the coastal stretch 25 km to the NNE of Constitucion.
Calculation of the epicenter is not easy at all, as can be seen here. Every agency is reporting an error margin both horizontal and vertical. Earthquake-Report.com is always searching for an agency who has multiple instruments installed in the earthquake epicentral region.
Update 03:20 UTC : In summary: 1 death (Heart Attack) and 6 injured from this earthquake. Minor damage has occurred in the epicentral region and some power outages were reported. The evacuated people are starting to return to their homes, but as a precautionary measure, the Chile government decision to evacuate was well founded.
Update 03:10 UTC : The copper mines in this part of Chile are operating fine, and there has been no stop to production. Life is returning to normal with the panic subsiding. The memories of the 27th February 2010 earthquake still lingers in the minds of the locals.
Update 03:00 UTC : The heart attack was to a 74 year old by the name of José Roberto Rebolledo. He lived 2km from the epicenter in Parral. Our condolences go out to the family. He is currently the only victim of this earthquake. No major damage has been reported to houses so it is likely this will be the only death associated with this earthquake.
Update 02:50 UTC : Given that the earthquake hypocenter was below the mainland it is unlikely that a tsunami was triggered, but the preventive evacuation has gone smoothly. 7000 to 25000 people were evacuated. No movement in the sea level has been observed and it is likely the order will be lifted in the coming hours.
1 dead and 6 injured is the current toll. Minor damage has been reported from the epicentral region.
Update : Twitter users are monitoring the Ocean level and are sharing their findings with newspapers. New reports are telling us that there are still a lot of power outages.
Update 01:17 UTC : Maule regional office decided to evacuate the region for PREVENTIVE purposes.
Official ONEMI message :
Domingo, Marzo 25, 2012 - 22:26
En un punto de prensa realizado desde las oficinas de ONEMI, el Ministro Secretario General de Gobierno, Andrés Chadwick, indicó que la Dirección Regional de ONEMI El Maule, determinó efectuar una evacuación preventiva en el borde costero de la región debido a la observación de recogimiento del mar en la zona. La autoridad recalcó que se trata de una medida preventiva en resguardo de la seguridad de la población.
Cabe destacar, que los Directores Regionales de ONEMI, tienen la facultad, de acuerdo al protocolo firmado con el SHOA el año pasado, de declarar evacuación preventiva en el borde costero al registrarse un sismo igual o superior a VII grados Mercalli, conforme a los antecedentes recopilados tanto a través de observación visual como otros reportes de organismos técnicos.
Update : people are calling to the radio station saying that the sea has not retreated and they will not evacuate.
Update : The authorities in Chillan have reported that the earthquake did NOT inflicted damage or injuries, just a short congestion of phone traffic.
Update : ADN Live Radio Chile states that the mayor of Parral, Chile has reported 1 person who didn't survive a heart attack. The man was 70 years old.
Update : Universidad de Chile is reporting 2 aftershocks, resp. 4.6 the first one and 3.8 the second.
Update : No further report in the local press on damages or injuries. We counted so far 6 people with light injuries. Nu numbers on eventual damage as yet.
Important Update : USGS has lowered the Magnitude from 7.2 to 7.1 (a big difference). Depth is now set at 34.8 km. The change in data means that now 9,000 people will have felt a very strong shaking (NO people anymore with a severe shaking). 810,000 people would have experienced a strong shaking (MMI VI) and 1,287,000 people a light shaking.
Update : - Onemi reports 2 people with light injuries in Maipu and 1 earthquake related car accident with 1 injured person in the BioBio region. This brings the total injured to 6
- SUBTEL phone traffic is still congested between Metropolitana and Bio Bio
Update : Many Chile twitter reports are mentioning the collapse of a part of the "Talcahuano-Concepcion" near Rancagua.
Update : We are truly happy that we have ONLY received I AM SAFE messages from the users of our QUAKESOS iPhone application.
Update : We are still reading reports of continued power cuts in the Talca area. It is now dark in Chile.
Update : Chilean Vice President Hinzpeter has called for calm after the very strong to massive earthquake who struck Chile this afternoon. The Chilean President is currently on a state visit to Vietnam.
Update : Problems are reported along the "Talcahuano-Concepcion" road. Some accidents have occurred and reports are talking about landslides
Update : Mobile communications are very difficult in Santiago but after long trying some work.
Update : Universidad de Chile Santiago has increased the Magnitude from 6.4 to 6.8 (Richter). The depth is now reported as 33.4 km. Both values are stronger than initial reports, but are a lot less severe than the data from other seismological agencies.
Update : 3 injured in Santiago de Chile because of fallen debris in a church(preliminary reports) Landslides have been reported by the Twitter community Power cuts in Maule and O'Higgins
Update 23:47 UTC : Chile is a very well earthquake prepared country. Building rules are very stringent and people have regular preparedness drills.
Update : WAPMERR, the theoretical damage engine is reporting an estimate for this earthquake : 100 to max. 100 injured and 0 to 100 fatalities.
Update : ONEMI has canceled the Precautionary evacuation (for tsunami danger) as SHOA published a report that the earthquake could not generate a tsunami. Onemi Chile calls for preventive evacuations when data are coming in of an earthquake bigger than M 7.0.
Update : CNN Chile report on the earthquake in Spanish
Update : Also ONEMI still reports the Magnitude of 6.4 and an epicenter at 24 km north-east of Constitucion (we cannot check it at the moment as we cannot enter the overloaded server)
Update : Mobile networks are OVERLOADED in many parts, including the Metropolitan Santiago de Chile area.
Update : SHOA reports that the earthquake does NOT meet the conditions to generate a tsunami (below land and not powerful enough)
Update : Big parts of the struck area are now without electricity
Update : The server of Universidad de Chile, which we could reach soon after the earthquake and who reported a Magnitude of 6.4 is NO longer reachable since then
Update : Also ONEMI Chile is reporting MMI values up to VIII (severe shaking). Based on this information, earthquake-report.com call this earthquake EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
Initial shaking map based on the Magnitude of 7.2
Update : MMI values based on ONEMI data for the different provinces (the RED areas are most at risk for potential damage):
Región: Valparaíso
La Ligua: II
Valparaíso: V
Villa Alemana : III
Zapallar: III
Región: Metropolitana de Santiago
Melipilla: VI
Peñaflor: V
Puente Alto: V
San Bernardo: VI
Santiago: VI
Tiltil: VI
Región: Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins
Navidad: VI
Paredones: VI
Pichilemu: VI
Rancagua: VI
Región: Maule
VIII Cauquenes, Constitución, Pelluhue, Talca
Linares: VII
Molina: VII
Parral: VII
Pelarco: VII
Rí¬o Claro: VII
San Javier: VI
Villa Alegre: VII
Región: Biobío
Bulnes: VI
Chillán: VI
Cobquecura: VII
Concepción: V
Hualpén: VI
Laja: V
Penco: VI
Talcahuano: VI
Tomé: VI
Yumbel: V
Región: La Araucanía
Angol: V
Carahue: IV
Collipulli: IV
Loncoche: II
Lonquimay: III
Melipeuco: V
Padre las Casas: V
Pucón: IV
Purén: III
Renaico: V
Saavedra: IV
Temuco: V
Teodoro Schmidt: III
Toltén: V
Villarrica: IV
Región: Los Ríos
Lanco : III
Los Lagos : III
Mariquina : III
Paillaco : II
Panguipulli : IV
Valdivia : III
Región: Los Lagos
Puyehue: III
Update : The Internet server from Armada de Chile (tsunami information) is currently over quota !
Important Update : The epicenter of the earthquake was recalculated and is now placed below land ! The recalculated epicenter is now at only 27 km (16 miles) NNW of Talca, Maule, Chile
Update : USGS expect that 214,000 people will have experienced a severe MMI VIII shaking. ! Damage cannot be excluded if these values are maintained.
Update : Armada de Chile has NOT alerted for a tsunami :
EVALUACIÓN:
LAS CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL SISMO NO REÚNEN LAS CONDICIONES NECESARIAS PARA GENERAR UN TSUNAMI EN LAS COSTAS DE CHILE.
Update : Most agencies have now values ranging from 5.9 to 7.2.
Luckily the epicenter seems to be located in the Pacific Ocean, thus weakening the impact
Very shallow earthquake 98 km from Talca, Chile
Epicenter approx. 20 km out of the coast in the Pacific Ocean
The epicenter is about 250 km from Santiago and people are reporting moderate shaking in Santiago
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"I Have Felt It" reports as received by Earthquake-Report.com
See below for all the received Earthquake Experience reports as received by earthquake-report.com
Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : 7.2 (USGS) - 6.8 Richter (Universidad de Chile)
UTC Time : Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 22:37:04 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Sunday, March 25, 2012 at 06:37:04 PM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 30 km
Geo-location(s) :
27 km (16 miles) NNW of Talca, Maule, Chile
55 km (34 miles) WSW of Curico, Maule, Chile
219 km (136 miles) SSW of SANTIAGO, Region Metropolitana, Chile
Links to important maps
USGS Did You Feel It Map
Google satellite map showing the epicenter and the surrounding area
Historic earthquakes map
Seismic hazard map
Shaking map
Focal mechanism report
Human impact map
GDACS earthquake report
SNAM Chile tsunami report
I Have Felt this earthquake
| Refresh this list | ||||||
| SRC | Location | UTC Date/time | M | D | INFO | |
| USGS | Maule, Chile | Mar 25 22:37 | 7.1 | 34 | MAP | |
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| GEOFON | Near Coast Of Central Chile | Mar 25 22:37 | 7.1 | 25 | MAP | |
| USGS | Offshore Maule, Chile | Mar 25 22:37 | 7.2 | 10 | MAP | |
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| EMSC | Maule, Chile | Mar 25 22:37 | 7.1 | 1 | MAP | |
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Here in talca, the earthquake was very long and strong, soms things felt down like photo's, cups, bottles etc.
But i did not hear reports of people injured. People in the center of talca are without much light and most are in panic. With the memory of 2010 of course when we had here 8.5 richter.
The Richter magnitude of 6.8 ML from Universidad de Chile Santiago, Chile IS comparable with 7.1 Mw. Two different scales and anyway the Richter scale as at saturation point at that level.