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M4.5 Depth: 10.0 km

M4.5 Earthquake near Potrero Grande, Puntarenas (Costa Rica)

UTC time: 2026-01-19 03:48:18 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.5 earthquake was recorded near Potrero Grande, Puntarenas (Costa Rica) on January 19, 2026 at 03:48 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. Costa Rica: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 6 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.8.

Details

Magnitude
M4.5
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-19 03:48:18 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Costa Rica
State
Puntarenas
City
Potrero Grande
County
Buenos Aires
Village
Potrero Grande
Source
emsc
Coordinates
9.02900, -83.28170
Temperature
23.7°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (27.1 km)
Regional average: 27.1 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

  • Baru
    Distance: 85 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'474 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Panama
  • Irazu
    Distance: 123 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'436 m ·Last eruption: 1977 ·Costa Rica
  • Turrialba
    Distance: 123 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'340 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Costa Rica
  • Barva
    Distance: 152 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'906 m ·Last eruption: -6050 ·Costa Rica
  • Poas
    Distance: 167 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'697 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Costa Rica
  • Platanar
    Distance: 185 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 2'267 m ·Costa Rica

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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