[2][3][4][5][1] It triggered a destructive tsunami that caused significant damage to the coast of Chile and was observed as far away as Australia.

The earthquake took place along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates, at a location where they converge at a rate of seventy millimeters a year.

Chile has been at a convergent plate boundary that generates megathrust earthquakes since the Paleozoic (500 million years ago).

[10] A 2019 study in Geophysical Journal International suggested the earthquake ruptured the subduction zone interface.

[13] At Caldera the tsunami began about 15 minutes after the earthquake, with a maximum run-up height of 7 m (23 ft).