M5.9 Earthquake 21 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica — October 22, 2025
2025-10-22 03:57:05 UTC (2025-10-22) · approx. 9:57 PM UTC-6 local
Felt by 215 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.5 (strong).
On October 22, 2025 at 03:57 UTC, a magnitude 5.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 21 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica, at a depth of 20.0 km and coordinates 9.2522°, -84.2408°. The earthquake was reported felt by 215 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 5.5 (strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 106 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 649, making it a moderate-impact event. The nearest populated place is Parrita (population 3,734).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 11 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 7.1 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 5.5 (strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Moderate shaking that everyone in the area would feel. Sleeping people are awakened. Dishes and windows may break. Unstable objects may be knocked over.
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 215 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 | 1,682,891 |
| MMI 4 | light | 4,325,654 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 27,538 |
Earthquake Details
-84.2408°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.9 earthquake near Quepos, Costa Rica?
The magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck 21 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica on October 22, 2025 at 03:57 UTC had a depth of 20.0 km. It was felt by 215 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 5.5 (strong). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.2522°, -84.2408°, which is 21 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica. The nearest populated place is Parrita (population 3,734).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.9 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks 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: us6000ril5). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, October 22, 2025). M5.9 Earthquake 21 km SSW of Quepos, Costa Rica — October 22, 2025. Retrieved May 26, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ril5/