5.4

M5.4 Earthquake 180 km SW of José María Morelos, MexicoSeptember 22, 2025

2025-09-22 14:24:09 UTC (2025-09-22) · approx. 7:24 AM UTC-7 local

Felt by 1 person across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM5.4(mww)
Time14:24 UTC7:24 AM UTC-7
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates18.688°, -106.550°
Felt by1DYFI response· max MMI 3.2
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On September 22, 2025 at 14:24 UTC, a magnitude 5.4 shallow crustal earthquake struck 180 km SW of José María Morelos, Mexico, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 18.6883°, -106.5503°. The earthquake was reported felt by 1 personacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.2 (light). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 85 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 449, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Jose Maria Pino Suarez (Nuevo Nahuapa) (population 2,554).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

The epicenter is located in Mexico, a region characterized by the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. The nearest mapped fault system is the Middle America Trench. View all earthquakes in Mexico.

Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences

Nearest Populated Places

Jose Maria Pino Suarez (Nuevo Nahuapa)pop. 2,554
MMI 3.1 (light)
Jalucopop. 3,156
MMI 2.9 (weak)
San Patriciopop. 6,713
MMI 2.8 (weak)
Tomatlanpop. 8,360
MMI 2.8 (weak)
El Tuitopop. 3,500
MMI 2.7 (weak)
Emiliano Zapata (El Ranchito)pop. 1,831
MMI 2.6 (weak)
Map showing earthquake epicenter at 18.69°, -106.55°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M5.4 earthquake near 180 km SW of José María Morelos, Mexico

Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.

USGS DYFI community-reported intensity map for the M5.4 earthquake near 180 km SW of José María Morelos, Mexico

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)DescriptionPopulation exposed
MMI 3weak100,975

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.4 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
18.6883°N
-106.5503°E
Felt Reports
1
DYFI responses
Intensity (MMI)
3.2
light
Community Intensity
2.0
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000qxtz
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
449
Stations Used
85
Azimuthal Gap
127.0°
Min Station Distance
5.120°
RMS Residual
0.86 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-06 16:00:28 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake near José María Morelos, Mexico?

The magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck 180 km SW of José María Morelos, Mexico on September 22, 2025 at 14:24 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. It was felt by 1 person with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.2 (light). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 18.6883°, -106.5503°, which is 180 km SW of José María Morelos, Mexico. The nearest populated place is Jose Maria Pino Suarez (Nuevo Nahuapa) (population 2,554). View all earthquakes in Mexico.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.4 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.

Has Mexico had earthquakes this big before?

The largest recorded earthquake in Mexico was the M8.1 Chiapas earthquake of September 8, 2017. Today's magnitude 5.4 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

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: us7000qxtz). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, September 22, 2025). M5.4 Earthquake 180 km SW of José María Morelos, MexicoSeptember 22, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000qxtz/