Magnitude 5.5 Earthquake Strikes Near Villarrica, Araucanía — Felt Across South-Central Chile

A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Villarrica in the Araucanía region at 23:34 local time (Santiago) on May 9, 2026, at a shallow depth of approximately 34 km. The quake was felt in Temuco (121 km to the north), Concepción, and as far as Santiago. No major structural damage or casualties were reported. The event occurred amid an already tense security environment in Araucanía, where a state of emergency has been continuously in effect since May 2022 due to Mapuche land conflict. Villarrica, site of one of Chile's most active volcanoes, sits at the heart of a seismically active zone in the southern Andes. ONEMI (the National Emergency Office) monitored the event and found no activation of the volcano.