M6.2 Earthquake 5 km ENE of Mene Grande, Venezuela — September 24, 2025
2025-09-24 22:21:55 UTC (2025-09-24) · approx. 5:21 PM UTC-5 local
Felt by 243 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.8 (severe).
On September 24, 2025 at 22:21 UTC, a magnitude 6.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 5 km ENE of Mene Grande, Venezuela, at a depth of 9.0 km and coordinates 9.8668°, -70.8781°. The earthquake was reported felt by 243 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 7.8 (severe). The USGS PAGER system issued a yellow alert level for this event, indicating local impact possible. This earthquake was detected by 317 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 859, making it one of the more significant events of the week. The nearest populated place is El Paradero (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 11 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 7.8 (severe), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Very strong shaking. Difficult to stand. Damage to weak structures; slight damage to well-built structures. Furniture broken. Fallen plaster and loose bricks.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 243 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 2,484,974 |
| MMI 4 | light | 7,804,332 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 753,294 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 202,741 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 25,094 |
| MMI 8 | severe | 145 |
Earthquake Details
-70.8781°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.2 earthquake near Mene Grande, Venezuela?
The magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck 5 km ENE of Mene Grande, Venezuela on September 24, 2025 at 22:21 UTC had a depth of 9.0 km. It was felt by 243 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 7.8 (severe). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.8668°, -70.8781°, which is 5 km ENE of Mene Grande, Venezuela. The nearest populated place is El Paradero (population 0).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.2 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
What should I do after an earthquake?
If you were in the affected area: check yourself and others for injuries, inspect your home for damage, and be prepared for aftershocks. For detailed guidance, see our earthquake safety guide and emergency planning resources.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rcnw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, September 24, 2025). M6.2 Earthquake 5 km ENE of Mene Grande, Venezuela — September 24, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rcnw/