Magnitude 5.4 earthquake rattles San José, Costa Rica on Saturday night

Tectonic plates gave Costa Rica a decent Halloween scare on Saturday night as a magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook the capital.

The temblor, registered at 11:01 p.m., had an epicenter near downtown San José and was felt throughout much of the Greater Metropolitan Area, according to preliminary data from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI).

The National Seismological Network (RSN) estimated the magnitude at 5.7 and the epicenter 1 km north of San Juan de Tibás.

#Sismocr Revisado, 31-10-2020, 11:01 pm, Mag: 5,7 Mw, Prof: 77 km, 1 km al Norte de San Juan, Tibas https://t.co/ZROEZ12AIV pic.twitter.com/moe6xnAnyP

— Red Sismológica Nacional (@RSNcostarica) November 1, 2020

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) acknowledged the incident, advised citizens to remain calm, and did not immediately report any damage.

Saturday’s earthquake was initially calculated at magnitude 4.7, according to the preliminary report from OVSICORI.

Costa Rica averages 350 earthquakes each month — about 12 each day — though most are imperceptible.

This is a developing story. Official sources to follow in the event of a seismic emergency include CNE, OVSICORI and the National Seismological Network. The Tico Times will always strive to provide timely, accurate updates for our English-speaking audience.