M5.5 Earthquake 2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua — March 26, 2026
2026-03-26 17:15:44 UTC (2026-03-26) · approx. 11:15 AM UTC-6 local
Felt by 6 people across nearby locations.
On March 26, 2026 at 17:15 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 intermediate depth earthquake struck 2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua, at a depth of 160.0 km and coordinates 12.1477°, -86.3658°. The earthquake was reported felt by 6 peopleacross nearby locations, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 3.5 (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 93 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 467, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Tipitapa (population 108,457).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 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 6 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 | 6,111,387 |
Earthquake Details
-86.3658°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua?
The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck 2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua on March 26, 2026 at 17:15 UTC had a depth of 160.0 km. It was felt by 6 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 3.5 (light). For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.1477°, -86.3658°, which is 2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. The nearest populated place is Tipitapa (population 108,457).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 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: us7000s7w6). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, March 26, 2026). M5.5 Earthquake 2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua — March 26, 2026. Retrieved May 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000s7w6/