Magnitude
M2.6
- Depth
- 51.0 km
- Source
- EMSC
Chinandega · El Viejo
Country overviewNicaragua · Chinandega
M2.6 Earthquake near El Viejo, Chinandega (Nicaragua)
Map
About this earthquake
A magnitude M2.6 earthquake was recorded near El Viejo, Chinandega (Nicaragua) on January 21, 2026 at 17:21 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 51 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.
The event was recorded by EMSC.
Details
ID
0731d271e888b8b7fb93f6e521db37cb704ab9db
Magnitude
M2.6
Depth
51.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-21 17:21:59 UTC
Local time
—
Country
State
City
Source
emsc
Coordinates
12.87000,
-87.87000
Temperature
28.7°C
Depth profile
Shallow
51 km
51 km — shallower than the regional average (100.4 km)
Regional average: 100.4 km
Why depth matters
Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.
Depth classes per USGS
Volcanoes nearby
Chinandega
Context for this earthquake
05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 2.0 · 37 Catalogue entries
Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.
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Stats (last 24h)
Global (24h)
625
Country (24h)
Nicaragua
1