In recent days, various medium and large magnitude earthquakes In the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Chilean Antarctic Territory, Chile's monitoring protocols have been activated, but without generating a tsunami threat to the country. Official reports agree that, despite the strength of these movements, none met the technical requirements to create a tsunami that would affect the national coastline.
Both the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Navy (SHOA) and the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred) have emphasized that the country has a early warning system and continuous analysis of global seismic activity, which allows for rapid assessment of each event and, when appropriate, the exclusion of the tsunami risk for Chile.
Earthquakes in Tonga: high magnitudes, no tsunami risk in Chile
One of the episodes that generated the most attention was a strong earthquake of magnitude 7,5 The earthquake was recorded in the Tonga archipelago in Oceania, approximately 141 kilometers west of the town of Neiafu. Despite its high magnitude, official analyses concluded that It did not pose a tsunami threat for Chilean territory.
According to SHOA's alert system, preliminary data on this movement indicated that the event It was located outside the classic tsunami generation zone of the Pacific.Therefore, the conditions were not suitable to produce a tsunami that would reach the coasts of Chile.
Senapred released the bulletin indicating that, according to the SHOA assessment, “The necessary conditions do not exist to generate a tsunami on the coasts of Chile” In response to the earthquake in Tonga, the message, repeated on its official channels, insisted that no alerts or evacuation orders had been issued for the population.
Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) quantified this seismic activity at magnitude 7,6associating it with the so-called North Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and detailed that it occurred about 237 kilometers deepWith those parameters, the North American agency also noted that the event It did not trigger alerts, surveillance, or threats of tsunami in the Pacific region.
In another report related to Tonga, Chilean authorities analyzed a magnitude 6,6 earthquake located approximately 699 kilometers northeast of Nukuʻalofa. The SHOA report, processed through the National Tsunami Warning System (SNAM)It also determined that this tremor It did not meet the necessary requirements to generate a tsunami that would affect the country.
SNAM assessments and the role of SHOA
All these events are reviewed in real time by the National Tsunami Warning SystemThe SHOA uses this platform to receive global seismic data and issue its assessments. Every significant earthquake, whether due to its magnitude or location, undergoes an analysis that considers depth, rupture mechanism, distance from the coast, and actual capacity to displace large volumes of water.
In the case of the earthquakes recorded in Tonga, specialists assessed that, despite magnitudes exceeding 7 in some international records, the scenario did not meet the criteria for a tsunami reaching Chile. According to SHOA, the origin and configuration of the event They indicated that the released energy would not result in a tsunami dangerous to the country.
Similarly, when the magnitude 6,6 earthquake occurred northeast of Nukuʻalofa, the Chilean technical agency indicated that the movement was processed by the SNAM and that, after review, it was concluded that It was not necessary to activate coastal alertsThe message to the population was clear: there was no tsunami risk associated with that particular seismic activity.
Coordination with international institutions, such as the USGS and other Pacific Basin warning centers, allows SHOA to Compare parameters and refine your models This collaboration is key to determining in a matter of minutes whether an earthquake could become a real threat to the Chilean coast.
Authorities recommend that citizens access information only through official channels, such as the SNAM website, the Senapred platforms and verified institutional accounts on social networks, to avoid rumors and erroneous data in times of high sensitivity.
Earthquakes off the coast of Chilean Antarctica: no conditions for a tsunami
Another recent incident that was monitored occurred in the Chilean Antarctic Territory, near the Frei Base. During the night, two consecutive earthquakes occurred, leading to the activation of the usual monitoring protocols by Chilean technical and emergency agencies.
The first tremor occurred at 21 pm, with an initial magnitude of 6,7 which was later adjusted to 6,5 by the National Seismological Center. The epicenter was located about 173 kilometers northeast of Base Frei, with a depth close to 10 kilometers, data that were disseminated in official reports.
Less than an hour later, at 22 pmA second earthquake shook the Antarctic region again. In this case, the magnitude was 5,1 and the location was estimated to be around 174 kilometers northeast of the same base. Despite the sequence of events, technical assessments indicated that There was no danger to the population or the infrastructure of the Chilean mainland coast.
After reviewing the information, SHOA reported that “The necessary conditions do not exist to generate a tsunami on the coasts of Chile” as a consequence of these movements in Antarctica. That is, the energy released and the configuration of the earthquake were not compatible with the generation of a tsunami that would reach the national territory.
The Early Warning Units of Senapred in the Aysén, Magallanes and Biobío regions reported that the continuous monitoring of the situation, with no reported effects in populated areas or significant disruptions to basic services in the rest of the country.
Strong earthquake in the North Atlantic also has no effect on Chile
In addition to the events in Tonga and Antarctica, Chile closely monitored a magnitude 6,8 earthquake registered in the Atlantic Ocean, a great distance from the South American coast. The geographical reference point was located about 1.872 kilometers northeast of Bridgetown, in Barbados, in an area associated with the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
The SHOA reported through its alert system that this movement, despite its magnitude, It did not meet the conditions to generate a tsunami that affected Chile. The agency's own website emphasized that the epicenter was located outside the main tsunami generation zone of the Pacific Ocean, which drastically reduces the possibility of impact on the Chilean coastline.
For its part, the USGS adjusted the magnitude to 6,7 and a depth of 10 kilometersHe indicated that the tremor did not generate any tsunami alert, watch, or threat in the Caribbean or other areas of the Atlantic. With this information, Chilean authorities limited themselves to technical monitoring, without taking any action regarding the population.
These types of distant events, although they may attract attention due to their magnitude, usually have a very limited effect on the Chilean coast if they are located in certain areas. decoupled from the large plates that directly affect the countryTherefore, official messages insist that the technical assessment is what determines whether or not there is a real risk.
In this case, the conclusion was clear: There was no tsunami threat to ChileTherefore, no warnings were issued beyond informational statements directed to authorities and citizens interested in international seismic activity.
Continuous monitoring and recommendations for citizens
All these recent episodes show that Chile has a seismic and tsunami monitoring network in constant operationThis system is coordinated between SHOA, Senapred, and the National Seismological Center, in addition to collaboration with foreign institutions. Each significant earthquake is reviewed within minutes to determine its potential impact on the country.
Authorities stress that, in the event of any significant seismic activity, the public should only pay attention to the official information channelsInstitutional websites, app alerts, and verified social media accounts are used to prevent the spread of rumors that could cause unnecessary alarm.
Although tsunami generation was ruled out in the cases described, organizations like Senapred take advantage of these situations to remind everyone of the importance of having family emergency plans, know the evacuation routes in coastal areas and be able to identify natural signs of a possible tsunami, such as a very strong earthquake or an unusual retreat of the sea.
In practice, the message that is repeated is that Chile lives exposed to a high seismic activity due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, but at the same time it has advanced systems to quickly assess which events may lead to a real threat and which, like the recent ones in Tonga, the Atlantic and Antarctica, They do not pose a tsunami risk to the population.
With several significant earthquakes analyzed in just a few days and all ruled out as tsunami generators for Chile, the institutions responsible for marine and seismic monitoring are reinforcing their role as a technical filter in the face of public concern, emphasizing that the combination of magnitude, location, and depth is what determines whether there is a danger to the coast, and that on these occasions The conditions simply weren't right..