QuakeScout

Atacama Fault

strike-slip1,000 km

HIGH RISK

The Atacama Fault System is a major north-south trending fault running through the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is one of the longest continuous fault systems in South America, active since the Jurassic period, and closely linked to the subduction processes along the Chilean coast.

Type

strike slip

Length

1,000 km

Countries

1

Cities at Risk

2

Risk Assessment

M7+ events expected along active segments

Last Major Earthquake

M8.5Atacama, Chile (1922-11-11)

Affected Countries

Cities Near This Fault

Data: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program