M6.5 Earthquake 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua — September 22, 2021
2021-09-22 09:57:07 UTC (2021-09-22) · approx. 3:57 AM UTC-6 local
Felt by 48 people across nearby locations. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.7 (moderate).
On September 22, 2021 at 09:57 UTC, a magnitude 6.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua, at a depth of 21.0 km and coordinates 12.1396°, -87.8647°. The earthquake was reported felt by 48 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 4.7 (moderate). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Jiquilillo (population 4,142).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 85 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 18 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Nearest Populated Places
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 48 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 | 9,627,809 |
| MMI 4 | light | 4,320,131 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1,132 |
Earthquake Details
-87.8647°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.5 earthquake near Jiquilillo, Nicaragua?
The magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua on September 22, 2021 at 09:57 UTC had a depth of 21.0 km. It was felt by 48 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 4.7 (moderate). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.1396°, -87.8647°, which is 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua. The nearest populated place is Jiquilillo (population 4,142).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.5 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months and gradually diminish over time.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000fdds). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, September 22, 2021). M6.5 Earthquake 80 km SW of Jiquilillo, Nicaragua — September 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000fdds/