7.8 magnitude earthquake near Puerto Williams as the strongest of the year worldwide

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Chile on Friday, May 2, marking a global milestone as the most powerful seismic event recorded so far in 2025.

The epicenter was located offshore, south of Puerto Williams, in the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region.

Although the tremor was not felt by most of the population due to its distance from the mainland, Senapred activated a preventive evacuation in coastal areas at risk of a tsunami, in accordance with established emergency protocols.

The seismic event was also reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), which estimated its magnitude at 7.4, with a depth of 10 kilometers.

According to the U.S. agency, the epicenter was located 219 kilometers south of Ushuaia, an Argentine city near the border with Chile’s Magallanes region.

The magnitude of the quake far exceeds other seismic events recorded in 2025, such as the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey in April, and the 6.8 quake recently recorded near Australia’s Macquarie Island.

Thus, the earthquake registered this Friday stands as the strongest of the year globally, according to official records from the USGS.