Chile Unites Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia And Ecuador Faces Dangerous Earthquakes Across 2024 And 2025 – Is Latin America Safe For Tourists? Shocking New Damage Reports Will Leave You Speechless

Published on November 6, 2025

In 2024 and 2025, Latin American countries faced aggregate strong earthquakes that raised concerns for travelers. A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck nan Chile-Argentina border successful July 2024, causing impermanent tsunami warnings but nary awesome damage. Peru knowledgeable a 7.2 magnitude quake successful June 2024, while Mexico saw a 6.4 earthquake successful February 2024. In July 2025, Guatemala faced complete 150 aftershocks pinch a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, starring to evacuations and building damage. The Caribbean was rocked by a 7.6 earthquake successful February 2025, while Venezuela knowledgeable a 6.2 magnitude quake successful September 2025. The Colombian capital, Bogotá, faced a 6.3 magnitude earthquake successful April 2025, causing building damage. These events heighten recreation risks, peculiarly successful regions prone to tremors, tsunamis, and damaged infrastructure.

Chile

Chile sits connected nan Nazca–South American subduction zone and is 1 of nan world’s astir seismically progressive countries. During 2024‑25 it knowledgeable aggregate ample earthquakes:

• Northern Chile (18–19 Jul 2024 – magnitude 7.3–7.4) – A powerful earthquake struck nan Antofagasta region. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured nan main daze astatine Mw 7.3–7.4 pinch an epicentre eastbound of nan coastal metropolis of Antofagasta and a extent of ~125 km. Government sources said location were no important injuries aliases awesome damage, but teams were sent to measure distant communities[1]. Chile’s president noted that nan country’s strict building codes constricted damage, but nan section reminded travellers that Chile is taxable to ample earthquakes[1].
• Drake Passage (2 May 2025 – magnitude 7.4) – A magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred successful nan Drake Passage betwixt Cape Horn and Antarctica. It was shallow (≈10 km) and led Chilean authorities to order evacuations of astir 2 000 people successful coastal communities and astatine Antarctic bases; nan alerts were later lifted erstwhile nan tsunami threat subsided[2]. A mini tsunami was recorded astatine an Antarctic base, and beardown aftershocks continued[3]. Even though location were nary injuries aliases damage, nan section demonstrates nan imaginable for tsunami warnings to disrupt recreation plans.
• Antofagasta (2 Jan 2025 – magnitude 6.1) – Another earthquake deed bluish Chile pinch Mw 6.1 astatine a extent of ~104 km[4]. It caused nary awesome harm but underscored nan persistence of seismic activity successful nan region.

Travellers visiting Chile should beryllium alert that nan state routinely experiences ample earthquakes and that tsunami warnings whitethorn trigger evacuations on nan coast. However, Chile’s strict building codes mean awesome tourer areas usually withstand beardown shaking.

Peru

Peru besides lies connected nan Nazca–South America sheet boundary and witnessed respective important quakes:

• Southern seashore adjacent Atiquipa (28 Jun 2024 – magnitude 7.2) – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck astatine 12:36 am section clip pinch an epicentre 5 miles westbound of Atiquipa, astir 380 miles southbound of Lima. The quake’s extent was ~17 miles. Peru’s tsunami informing strategy issued an alert, but nan Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later reported that nan tsunami threat had passed[5]. Rock‑slides trim disconnected a roadworthy successful nan Ayacucho region, and section residents knowledgeable beardown shaking[5]. The arena highlights nan consequence of some tsunamis and landslides for travellers successful coastal and mountainous areas.
• Central Peru adjacent Puquio (17 May 2025 – magnitude 6.0) – A magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred adjacent Puquio successful nan Ayacucho region astatine a extent of 97 km. Its extent meant shaking was felt wide but remained moderate; location were nary reports of injuries aliases important damage[6]. Authorities warned that isolated landslides could still occur, which is applicable for travellers utilizing agrarian roads.
• Peru–Brazil separator (11 Mar 2025 – magnitude 5.7) – A heavy Mw 5.7 earthquake (≈658 km depth) struck nan separator region[7]. Deep quakes tin beryllium felt complete ample areas, though they seldom origin damage.
• Peru–Ecuador separator (8 May 2025 – magnitude 5.6) – A magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred astatine 10 km depth[8]. Damage was limited, but it serves arsenic a reminder that Peru’s bluish separator besides experiences mean quakes.

Travellers should statement that Peru’s astir destructive quake successful this play was nan June 2024 Mw 7.2 event, which triggered tsunami alarms and landslides. Earthquakes astatine depths of tens of kilometres tin beryllium felt crossed a wide area, and mountainous terrain increases landslide consequence aft shaking.

Mexico and Guatemala

The Cocos Plate subducts beneath Mexico and Guatemala, making their Pacific coasts prone to earthquakes.

• Mexico/Guatemala separator (12 May 2024 – magnitude 6.4) – A beardown Mw 6.4 earthquake occurred disconnected nan seashore of Chiapas, Mexico astatine a extent of ~75 km. Mexico’s civilian protection agency reported no contiguous damage successful Mexico, but Guatemala’s disaster agency reported structural damage successful nan departments of Quetzaltenango and San Marcos and a landslide that blocked a road[9]. The U.S. tsunami informing centre said location was nary tsunami threat[9]. Travellers utilizing mountainous highways successful this separator region should beryllium cautious of landslides and impermanent roadworthy closures.
• Guatemala City region (8 Jul 2025 – magnitude 5.2 pinch aftershocks) – A swarm of quakes began pinch a Mw 5.2 earthquake adjacent Guatemala City. Aftershocks of 3.9–5.6 followed. Authorities urged residents to evacuate buildings, and immoderate structures were damaged, though nary superior injuries were reported[10]. Travellers successful Guatemala City whitethorn acquisition building evacuations during specified events.
• Guatemala (29 Jul 2025 – magnitude 6.0) – A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck astatine a extent of 10 km[11]. Limited accusation was available, but nan recurrence of mid‑magnitude quakes wrong a period whitethorn interest visitors.

Travel implications

The separator quake of May 2024 damaged structures and roads successful Guatemala, illustrating that moderate‑to‑strong quakes tin impact transportation. Tourists should show section advisories, peculiarly during nan rainy play erstwhile earthquakes tin trigger landslides.

Panama and Costa Rica

The Panama micro‑plate and nan Cocos Ridge make nan Panama–Costa Rica separator susceptible to mean earthquakes.

• Panama‑Costa Rica separator (22 Jul 2024 – magnitude 5.7) – A Mw 5.7 earthquake astatine 3 km depth struck adjacent Puerto Armuelles successful Panama’s Chiriquí province, adjacent to Costa Rica. A magnitude 5.9 aftershock followed. Authorities reported no important damage but continued monitoring[12]. For travellers, nan arena demonstrated that shallow quakes tin hap without warning.
• Pacific seashore of Panama (mid‑2024 – magnitude 6.2) – A abstracted 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurred disconnected Panama’s Pacific seashore adjacent Punta Burica. The USGS placed nan epicentre astir 130 miles southbound of Punta Burica astatine a extent of 10 km. There were no injuries, damage, aliases tsunami threat[13]. The quake was felt successful Chiriquí and parts of Costa Rica[13], but tourer infrastructure remained intact.

Although these quakes did not origin awesome damage, travellers should beryllium prepared for impermanent powerfulness outages aliases carrier delays erstwhile earthquakes hap successful Panama aliases Costa Rica.

Cuba

• Southeastern Cuba (10 Nov 2024 – magnitude 6.8) – A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Bartolomé Maso successful Granma state astatine a extent of astir 14 km. The quake caused landslides and damaged homes and powerfulness lines. President Miguel Díaz‑Canel said authorities were assessing nan situation, emphasising that saving lives was nan priority[14]. Residents reported beardown shaking, and older buildings suffered damage[14]. Aftershocks continued, but nan U.S. tsunami informing centre stated location was no tsunami threat[14]. Travellers visiting eastbound Cuba should beryllium alert that aftershocks and damaged infrastructure tin impact agrarian areas.

Caribbean Sea (affecting Cuba, Cayman Islands and neighbouring countries)

• Caribbean Sea (8 Feb 2025 – magnitude 7.6) – A beardown Mw 7.6 earthquake struck successful nan Caribbean Sea astir 125 miles southwest of nan Cayman Islands astatine 6:23 pm EST. Tsunami warnings were issued for Cuba and nan Cayman Islands and advisories for Puerto Rico and nan Virgin Islands[15]. Although no injuries aliases important damage were reported, nan warnings prompted coastal evacuations[15]. Travellers successful nan region whitethorn acquisition removal orders and formation delays erstwhile tsunamis are feared.

Venezuela

• Zulia authorities (24 Sep 2025 – magnitude 6.2) – A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook northwest Venezuela adjacent Mene Grande astatine a shallow extent of astir 5 miles. People successful aggregate states and neighbouring Colombia felt nan tremor and evacuated buildings, but location were no reported damages[16]. The quake occurred adjacent an important lipid region; while operations were unaffected, nan arena underscores seismic consequence successful areas not commonly associated pinch ample quakes.

Colombia

• Cundinamarca adjacent Paratebueno (8 Jun 2025 – magnitude 6.5) – A Mw 6.5 earthquake struck 17 km northeast of Paratebueno, astir 116 miles southeast of Bogotá. The earthquake was 10 km deep and was felt crossed overmuch of Colombia[17]. No casualties were reported, but authorities logged aggregate aftershocks of magnitude 4 to 4.6[17]. People successful Bogotá near workplaces to activity safety, though agrarian images showed small damage[18]. The Colombian Geological Service noted that nan state lies on nan Pacific Ring of Fire[19], reminding travellers that mean earthquakes tin hap moreover successful inland areas.

Travel guidance and considerations

The array beneath summarises nan awesome events and imaginable recreation implications:

The 2024‑25 play saw multiple magnitude 6+ earthquakes crossed Latin America. While not each caused important damage, respective triggered tsunami warnings, evacuations, landslides and roadworthy closures. Countries pinch notable events see Chile, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Cuba, Panama, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Colombia. Travellers should not debar these destinations outright, but should:

1. Monitor charismatic earthquake and tsunami alerts (e.g., from nationalist agencies and nan Pacific Tsunami Warning Center).
2. Know section removal routes successful coastal areas and beryllium prepared for impermanent closures of highways aliases airports.
3. Choose structurally sound accommodations and travel section proposal connected earthquake preparedness, particularly successful historical districts wherever older buildings whitethorn beryllium vulnerable[14].
4. Purchase recreation insurance that covers travel disruptions owed to earthy disasters.

Awareness and mentation tin let travellers to bask Latin America’s divers cultures and landscapes while respecting nan region’s move geology.