M2.9 Depth: 23.0 km

M2.9 Earthquake near Puntarenas (Costa Rica)

UTC time: 2026-01-17 23:54:16 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M2.9 earthquake was recorded near Puntarenas (Costa Rica) on January 17, 2026 at 23:54 UTC. With a focal depth of about 23 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this small magnitude are usually barely noticeable and cause no damage.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Costa Rica: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 6 earthquakes, the strongest at M3.8.

Details

Magnitude

M2.9

Depth

23.0 km

UTC time

2026-01-17 23:54:16 UTC

Local time

—

Country

Costa Rica

State

Puntarenas

City

Puntarenas

Source

emsc

Coordinates

8.65880, -83.98840

Temperature

28.1°C

Map

Depth profile

Shallow

23 km

23 km — close to 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

Irazu

Distance: 148 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'436 m ·Last eruption: 1977 ·Costa Rica
Turrialba

Distance: 154 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'340 m ·Last eruption: 2022 ·Costa Rica
Baru

Distance: 160 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 3'474 m ·Last eruption: 1550 ·Panama
Barva

Distance: 165 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'906 m ·Last eruption: -6050 ·Costa Rica
Poas

Distance: 173 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'697 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Costa Rica
Platanar

Distance: 187 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.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)

717

Country (24h)