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M2.9 Depth: 51.0 km

M2.9 Earthquake near Puntarenas (Costa Rica)

UTC time: 2026-05-20 18:37:25 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M2.9 earthquake was recorded near Puntarenas (Costa Rica) on May 20, 2026 at 18:37 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 51 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size typically go unnoticed.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. Costa Rica: 7 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M3.7.

Details

Magnitude
M2.9
Depth
51.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-20 18:37:25 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Costa Rica
State
Puntarenas
City
Puntarenas
Source
emsc
Coordinates
9.25850, -84.04350
Temperature
22.3°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 51 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 51 km
Shallow
51 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

  • Irazu
    Distance: 83 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'436 m ·Last eruption: 1977 ·Costa Rica
  • Turrialba
    Distance: 90 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'340 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Costa Rica
  • Barva
    Distance: 98 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'906 m ·Last eruption: -6050 ·Costa Rica
  • Poas
    Distance: 107 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'697 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Costa Rica
  • Platanar
    Distance: 121 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 2'267 m ·Costa Rica
  • Arenal
    Distance: 152 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'670 m ·Last eruption: 2010 ·Costa Rica

Sources: Smithsonian GVP & USGS

Historic earthquake map · Costa Rica

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Costa Rica

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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