M5.1 Earthquake south of Panama — December 17, 2021
2021-12-17 00:12:53 UTC (2021-12-17) · approx. 6:12 PM UTC-6 local
On December 17, 2021 at 00:12 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck south of Panama, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 4.8966°, -82.5966°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-82.5966°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake south of Panama?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck south of Panama on December 17, 2021 at 00:12 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 4.8966°, -82.5966°, which is south of Panama.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000gczr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, December 17, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake south of Panama — December 17, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000gczr/