BOLIVIA · EARTHQUAKES
Key Facts
- Power Index Bolivia ranks 12th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 28.4 points (October 2026 edition).
- What is happening Two earthquakes, magnitude 3.5 and 4.3, were recorded in Bolivia on Monday, 2 November, one in Potosí department and one in Cochabamba department.
- Why it matters Potosí is a mining and tourism department and Cochabamba a large farming valley; no authority has confirmed damage, injuries or deaths from either quake.
- The numbers The first quake was 188.5 km deep and the second only 27.3 km deep, about seven times shallower and the stronger of the two.
- Who is who The San Calixto Observatory, a Jesuit-run non-profit in La Paz, monitors Bolivia’s earthquakes and posts each quake’s time, place, depth and magnitude.
- What to watch Whether the observatory posts a special report on either quake and whether Bolivian civil authorities confirm any felt effects or damage.
- What it means for you No change of plans is needed for travellers or investors on current information; the observatory’s 25 newest list entries run from 17 October to 2 November.
Two earthquakes were recorded in Bolivia on Monday, 2 November, one in Potosí department and one in Cochabamba department. The stronger, magnitude 4.3, was shallow, and no authority has confirmed damage.
Two Bolivia earthquakes were recorded on Monday, 2 November, by the San Calixto Observatory, a Jesuit-run seismology institute in La Paz. One, magnitude 3.5, struck Sud Lípez province in Potosí department, and one, magnitude 4.3, struck Carrasco province in Cochabamba department.
The observatory’s 25 newest list entries run from 17 October to 2 November, so two in one day is not unusual. Neither the list nor any civil authority says whether either quake was felt.
What the Bolivia Earthquakes Measured
The first quake struck at 11:48 a.m. local time (10:48 a.m. ET) in Sud Lípez province, in Potosí department. Its magnitude was 3.5, and it lay 188.5 km below the surface.
At that depth the rock broke inside the Nazca plate, an ocean slab sinking beneath South America. Such deep quakes are common under south-western Bolivia, and their shaking usually reaches the surface weakened.
The second quake struck at 2:54 p.m. local time (1:54 p.m. ET) in Carrasco province, in Cochabamba department. Its magnitude was 4.3, and it lay only 27.3 km down.
Each full step in magnitude means about 32 times more energy, so 4.3 is roughly 16 times the energy of 3.5. Being shallow, it is also the one more likely to be felt close to its epicentre.
How the Two Reports Were Checked
The observatory’s own public event list gives both quakes. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), a quake-reporting body, repeats the Potosí figures and names the observatory as its source.
For Cochabamba the EMSC gives its own solution, magnitude 4.4 at 10 km depth, about 7 km from the observatory’s epicentre. The time matches.
The US Geological Survey (USGS), the American federal earthquake agency, lists neither quake as of Tuesday, 3 November. Its catalogue is built for larger events worldwide, so that gap is not unusual.
Bolivia’s seismic network has run since 1913 and is described in detail in the Rio Times explainer on the San Calixto Observatory. The observatory sits in La Paz, the seat of Bolivia’s government.
What It Means for You
No authority has confirmed damage, injuries or deaths from either quake. Travellers to Potosí or Cochabamba need no change of plans on the current information.
Investors in Bolivian mining or lithium should note that no mine, road or plant disruption has been confirmed. Wider context is in the Rio Times guides to Bolivia’s role in Latin America and who holds power in Bolivia.
The Rio Times also explains how power is spread in Bolivia. More is on the Bolivia hub.
What Is Not Known
As of Tuesday, 3 November, the observatory has posted no special report on either quake, and no civil authority has confirmed damage. Whether either quake was felt is not stated in the observatory’s public list or by any authority.
The two epicentres lie more than 500 km apart, and nothing in the data suggests one caused the other. The observatory’s magnitudes are first estimates, and the EMSC’s 4.4 for Cochabamba shows they can differ.
What Comes Next
The observatory updates its public event list as new data arrive. It issues a special report when a quake has effects on people, and none has been posted for these two.
Watch for that report and for statements from Bolivian civil-protection authorities. A magnitude 4.3 is not a forecast of a larger quake, and the observatory says quakes cannot be predicted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What earthquakes hit Bolivia on 2 November?
Two were recorded on Monday, 2 November: magnitude 3.5 in Sud Lípez province, Potosí, and magnitude 4.3 in Carrasco province, Cochabamba. Both are listed by the San Calixto Observatory.
Were the Bolivia earthquakes felt or damaging?
No civil authority has confirmed damage, injuries or deaths. The observatory’s public list does not say whether either was felt.
Why was one of the two quakes so deep?
The Potosí quake lay 188.5 km down, inside the Nazca plate sinking beneath South America. Deep quakes are common in south-western Bolivia and usually feel weaker at the surface.
Is Bolivia safe to visit after these quakes?
On current information, yes: no damage has been confirmed and both quakes were small. Check the US State Department’s Bolivia advisory and local guidance before any trip.
Who measured the quakes?
The San Calixto Observatory, a non-profit run by the Jesuits in La Paz, monitors Bolivia’s quakes and has done so since 1913. Its public list gives each event’s time, place, depth and magnitude.
Sources: Observatorio San Calixto, La Paz, public list of seismic events for 17 October to 2 November 2026; Observatorio San Calixto, history and stations; European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, event query for Bolivia, 2 November 2026; US Geological Survey, earthquake catalogue query for Bolivia, 2 to 4 November 2026; US State Department travel advisory for Bolivia (all accessed 3 November 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief