Light mag. 4.3 earthquake - Departamento de Santa Catalina, Jujuy, 42 km west of Villazon, Bolivia, on Tuesday, 23 Feb 2021 9:34 pm (GMT -3) -
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Light magnitude 4.3 earthquake at 275 km depth
24 Feb 00:55 UTC: First to report: USGS after 21 minutes.
Update Wed, 24 Feb 2021, 01:26
Light earthquake with magnitude 4.3 hit province of Jujuy, ArgentinaLight earthquake with magnitude 4.3 hit province of Jujuy, Argentina
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit near the Departamento de Santa Catalina, in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, on 23 Feb. 2021, at 9:34 pm local time. The quake originated 275.1 km deep underground and about 16 km south of Santa Catalina.
The quake was most likely not felt due to its considerable depth. The immediate area surrounding the epicenter is uninhabited. Damages are not expected from this quake.
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake hit near the Departamento de Santa Catalina, in the province of Jujuy, Argentina, on 23 Feb. 2021, at 9:34 pm local time. The quake originated 275.1 km deep underground and about 16 km south of Santa Catalina.
The quake was most likely not felt due to its considerable depth. The immediate area surrounding the epicenter is uninhabited. Damages are not expected from this quake.
Update Wed, 24 Feb 2021, 01:00
Moderate magnitude 4.3 quake hits 42 km west of Villazon, Bolivia in the evening4.3 quake 23 Feb 9:34 pm (GMT -3)
The United States Geological Survey reported a magnitude 4.3 quake in Bolivia near Villazon, Modesto Omiste, Departamento de Potosi, only 25 minutes ago. The earthquake hit in the evening on Tuesday 23 February 2021 at 9:34 pm local time at an intermediate to considerable depth of 275.1 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Our monitoring service identified a second report from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) which listed the quake at magnitude 4.3 as well.
According to preliminary calculations, we do not expect that the quake was felt by many people and did not cause any damage. In Villazon (pop. 30,300, 42 km away), La Quiaca (pop. 14,800, 42 km away), and Tupiza (pop. 22,200, 77 km away), the quake was probably not felt.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
Our monitoring service identified a second report from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) which listed the quake at magnitude 4.3 as well.
According to preliminary calculations, we do not expect that the quake was felt by many people and did not cause any damage. In Villazon (pop. 30,300, 42 km away), La Quiaca (pop. 14,800, 42 km away), and Tupiza (pop. 22,200, 77 km away), the quake was probably not felt.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
Earthquake data:
Date & time: 24 Feb 2021 00:34:38 UTC -
Local time at epicenter: Tuesday, 23 Feb 2021 9:34 pm (GMT -3)
Magnitude: 4.3
Depth: 275.1 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 22.0821°S / 65.9977°W

Nearest volcano: Uturuncu (124 km / 77 mi)
Nearby towns and cities:
42 km (26 mi) W of Villazon (Modesto Omiste, Potosí) (pop: 30,300) --> See nearby quakes!
42 km (26 mi) W of La Quiaca (Yavi, Argentina) (pop: 14,800) --> See nearby quakes!
77 km (48 mi) SSW of Tupiza (Sud Chichas, Potosí) (pop: 22,200) --> See nearby quakes!
77 km (48 mi) NNW of Abra Pampa (Cochinoca, Argentina) (pop: 9,430) --> See nearby quakes!
144 km (90 mi) WSW of Tarija (pop: 159,300) --> See nearby quakes!
185 km (115 mi) WNW of Bermejo (Aniceto Arce, Tarija) (pop: 35,400) --> See nearby quakes!
246 km (153 mi) NNW of San Salvador de Jujuy (Argentina) (pop: 305,900) --> See nearby quakes!
279 km (173 mi) S of Potosi (Potosí) (pop: 141,300) --> See nearby quakes!
348 km (216 mi) SSW of Sucre (Chuquisaca) (pop: 224,800) --> See nearby quakes!
561 km (349 mi) SSW of Santa Cruz (pop: 1,364,400) --> See nearby quakes!
Weather at epicenter at time of quake:
Few Clouds
11.7°C (53 F), humidity: 69%, wind: 8 m/s (15 kts) from ENE
Primary data source: USGS (United States Geological Survey)Few Clouds

Estimated released energy: 1.8 x 1011 joules (49.4 megawatt hours, equivalent to 42.5 tons of TNT) More info
Data for the same earthquake reported by different agencies
Info: The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
Magnitude | Depth | Location | Source |
4.3 | 275 km | 41 Km W of Villazón, Bolivia, Argentina | USGS |
4.3 | 275 km | JUJUY, ARGENTINA | EMSC |
4.4 | 328 km | JUJUY (Argentina) | INPRES |
4.0 | 270 km | Jujuy Province, Argentina | USP |
User reports for this quake (1)
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
308.3 km S of epicenter [Map] / not felt (reported through our app)
Earlier earthquakes in the same area since 1900
- Date / time UTC| Mag |Depth|Age|Distance| Details
- 29 Nov 1957 22:19| 7.7 |233km / 144mi|63 years ago|146km / 91mi| 56 km S of Uyuni, Antonio Quijarro, Departamento de Potosi, Bolivia
- 12 May 2000 18:43| 7.2 |225km / 140mi|21 years ago|170km / 105mi| Departamento de Susques, 138 km NW of San Salvador de Jujuy, Departamento de Doctor Manuel Belgrano, Jujuy, Argentina
- 23 Jan 1997 02:15| 7.1 |276km / 172mi|24 years ago|30km / 19mi| 16 km NW of Villazon, Modesto Omiste, Departamento de Potosi, Bolivia
- 24 May 1993 23:51| 7.0 |221km / 137mi|28 years ago|86km / 54mi| Departamento de Rinconada, 87 km W of Abra Pampa, Departamento de Cochinoca, Jujuy, Argentina
- 01 Apr 1987 01:48| 7.0 |249km / 155mi|34 years ago|79km / 49mi| 52 km W of Abra Pampa, Departamento de Cochinoca, Jujuy, Argentina
- 11 Feb 2015 18:57| 6.7 |198km / 123mi|6 years ago|123km / 76mi| Departamento de Susques, 1 km W of Abra Pampa, Departamento de Cochinoca, Jujuy, Argentina
- 01 Sep 1987 04:26| 6.7 |199km / 124mi|34 years ago|121km / 75mi| Departamento de Susques, 93 km SW of Abra Pampa, Departamento de Cochinoca, Jujuy, Argentina
- 21 Jul 2007 15:34| 6.4 |290km / 180mi|14 years ago|24km / 15mi| 20 km W of La Quiaca, Departamento de Yavi, Jujuy, Argentina
- 04 Aug 2016 14:15| 6.2 |249km / 155mi|5 years ago|26km / 16mi| 43 km SW of La Quiaca, Departamento de Yavi, Jujuy, Argentina
- 14 Nov 2009 19:44| 6.2 |220km / 137mi|11 years ago|118km / 74mi| Departamento de Susques, 194 km NW of San Salvador de Jujuy, Departamento de Doctor Manuel Belgrano, Jujuy, Argentina
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