4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 97 km WSW of Masachapa, NicaraguaMarch 6, 2025

2025-03-06 19:56:08 UTC (2025-03-06) · approx. 1:56 PM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time19:56 UTC1:56 PM UTC-6
Depth28.9 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates11.505°, -87.359°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 6, 2025 at 19:56 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 97 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua, at a depth of 28.9 km and coordinates 11.5055°, -87.3594°. This earthquake was detected by 41 seismic stations with moderate location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 11.51°, -87.36°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
28.9 km
shallow crustal
Location
11.5055°N
-87.3594°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000pxb4
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
41
Azimuthal Gap
182.0°
Min Station Distance
1.229°
RMS Residual
0.64 sec
Last Updated
2025-05-16 17:30:02 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Masachapa, Nicaragua?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 97 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua on March 6, 2025 at 19:56 UTC had a depth of 28.9 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 11.5055°, -87.3594°, which is 97 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pxb4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 6, 2025). M4.6 Earthquake 97 km WSW of Masachapa, NicaraguaMarch 6, 2025. Retrieved May 16, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pxb4/