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Chile is on the western coast of the continent of South America, this is the boundary between two tectonic plates, the Nazca plate (which is an oceanic plate) and the South American plate (a continental crustal plate).

In this region the Nazca plate is moving eastwards towards the South American plate. The dense oceanic crust of the Nazca plate is being forced under or subducted beneath the less dense continental crust of the South American Plate.

The Nazca and South American plates are converging at a rate of approximately 80mm / year. This causes stress to accumulate resulting in elastic strain which stores elastic potential energy. Once the stress exceeds the strength of the rocks in the crust a brittle failure occurs, causing in this case thrust faulting to occur. The stored elastic strain energy is released in the form of seismic waves.

This form of thrust faulting usually results in the most powerful earthquakes and in the past Chile has experienced a magnitude 9.5 earthquake caused by the same tectonic plate motions - the most powerful ever recorded.

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14y ago
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14y ago

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 (on the Moment Magnitude Scale) and an intensity of severe (VIII) on the Modified Mercalli (MM) scale.

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14y ago

The earthquake's epicentre (the point on the surface directly above the earthquake) was 100 km NNW of the nearest city, Chillan, which has a population of 170,000 people and around 115 km NNE of Concepcion (population 292,589, metropolitan area population of 1,322,581).

According to the USGS the exact co-ordinates were 35.846°S, 72.719°W.

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9y ago

There were 523 people killed, 24 missing, and about 12,000 reported injured.

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9y ago

Five hundred twenty five people died and another 25 are missing.

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13y ago

6.3km

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Q: Where was the epicenter of the earthquake in Chile on February 27 2010?
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Related questions

What was the date of Chile earthquake?

The date of the Chile Earthquake was on the 27th February 2010


What was the biggest earthquake in 2010?

The Chile Earthquake in February was the biggest earthquake reported in 2010.


When did 2010 Chile earthquake happen?

Saturday February 27, 2010


Where did a magnitude 9.5 earthquake occur in 1960?

The epicenter for the 1960 Great Chilean Earthquake or Valdivia Earthquake happened near the city of Cantete about 100 miles south of the 2010 Chile earthquake.


Where were all the biggest earthquakes in 2010?

The biggest earthquake reported in 2010 was the Chile Earthquake on February 27 with a magnitude of 8.8.


Where was the Chilean earthquake epicenter?

The epicenter of the earthquake in Chile on February 27 2010 was 100 km NNW of the nearest city, Chillan, which has a population of 170,000 people and around 115 km NNE of Concepcion (population 292,589, metropolitan area population of 1,322,581). According to the USGS the exact co-ordinates were 35.846°S, 72.719°W.


How long did the Chile earthquake last on February 28 2010?

It lasted about 3 minutes.


How big was the 2010 earthquake in Chile?

The 2010 earthquake that hit Chile was a magnitude 8.8.


Where was the 2010 Japan earthquake's epicenter?

The Ryukyu Islands earthquake of February 26, 2010, occurred near the boundary that accommodates most of the relative motion between the Philippine Sea and Eurasia tectonic plates. The coordinates of its epicenter are: 25.902°N, 128.417°E


Which medical relief groups have sent helpers to Chile in the wake of the earthquake on February 27 2010?

UNICEF


What city in Chile was the 2010 earthquake in?

Chilean, Chile.


Which natural disaster happened in 2010?

There were a number of natural disasters in 2010, including the Haiti earthquake on January 12, the Chile Earthquake on February 27, and Hurricane Tomas in November .