M5.2 Earthquake 11 km SE of Río Grande, Panama — October 9, 2026
2026-10-09 19:48:55 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 2:48 PM UTC-5 local
Aftershock of the M6.6 mainshock.
On October 9, 2026 at 19:48 UTC, a magnitude 5.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 11 km SE of Río Grande, Panama, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 7.6417°, -81.2677°. This earthquake was detected by 78 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 416, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.3 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 6.6 mainshock that occurred 45 minutes ago 14 km W of Río Grande, Panama. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for weeks to months as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
-81.2677°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.2 earthquake near Río Grande, Panama?
The magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck 11 km SE of Río Grande, Panama on October 9, 2026 at 19:48 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 7.6417°, -81.2677°, which is 11 km SE of Río Grande, Panama.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.2 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M6.6 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.2 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 6.6 mainshock that occurred earlier 14 km W of Río Grande, Panama. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000u19h). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, October 9, 2026). M5.2 Earthquake 11 km SE of Río Grande, Panama — October 9, 2026. Retrieved October 9, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000u19h/