A strong earthquake shook Costa Rica shortly after midday Tuesday, with reports of movement across the Central Pacific, the Central Valley and parts of Guanacaste. The Red Sismológica Nacional reported the quake at 12:11 p.m. today. The tremor had a magnitude of 5.4 Mw and was centered 27 kilometers west of Jacó, in the canton of Garabito, at a depth of 22 kilometers.
The quake was felt in several areas, including the Central Pacific, the Central Valley and Guanacaste, according to the seismic report. The RSN said the earthquake was linked to the Cocos Plate sliding underneath the Caribbean Plate, an offshore process that causes many of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast earthquakes. The agency said the location had already been reviewed, meaning the basic data had been checked after the initial automatic reading.
There were no immediate official reports of major damage or injuries in the first available afternoon updates. Authorities had not issued a broader emergency bulletin by early afternoon, and residents in affected areas were urged to follow official channels for any later reports.
The tremor was one of two felt earthquakes reported today by the RSN. An earlier 3.5 Mw quake was recorded at 6:51 a.m., according to the agency’s list of recent seismic activity.
If your new here or just visiting, Costa Rica sits along an active seismic zone where the Cocos Plate dives beneath the Caribbean Plate, making earthquakes common, especially along the Pacific coast. Today’s quake was strong enough to be widely noticed but remained moderate compared with the larger offshore earthquakes that have previously affected Costa Rica.
Residents who felt the quake can report their experience through the RSN’s “¿Lo sentiste?” tool, which helps scientists map shaking intensity across the country.
