M4.5 Earthquake 28 km SSE of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica — November 16, 2025
2025-11-16 11:51:59 UTC (2025-11-16) · approx. 5:51 AM UTC-6 local
On November 16, 2025 at 11:51 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 28 km SSE of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica, at a depth of 62.1 km and coordinates 8.9516°, -83.1982°. This earthquake was detected by 58 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 312, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 767 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-83.1982°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.5 earthquake near Buenos Aires, Costa Rica?
The magnitude 4.5 earthquake that struck 28 km SSE of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica on November 16, 2025 at 11:51 UTC had a depth of 62.1 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 8.9516°, -83.1982°, which is 28 km SSE of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.5 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000rnks). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, November 16, 2025). M4.5 Earthquake 28 km SSE of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica — November 16, 2025. Retrieved February 10, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000rnks/