5.0

M5.0 Earthquake 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa RicaApril 28, 2026

2026-04-28 03:49:47 UTC (2026-04-28) · approx. 9:49 PM UTC-6 local

Felt by 83 people across nearby locations.

MagnitudeM5.0(mww)
Time03:49 UTC9:49 PM UTC-6
Depth70.8 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates9.864°, -84.198°
Felt by83DYFI responses
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On April 28, 2026 at 03:49 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa Rica, at a depth of 70.8 km and coordinates 9.8635°, -84.1985°. This earthquake was detected by 86 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 420, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 9.86°, -84.20°

Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking

Aggregated felt-report intensity from 83 citizen responses 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 M5.0 earthquake near 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa Rica

Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
5.0 mww
Depth
70.8 km
intermediate depth
Location
9.8635°N
-84.1985°E
Felt Reports
83
DYFI responses
Community Intensity
4.3
CDI from reports

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000sglc
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
420
Stations Used
86
Azimuthal Gap
84.0°
Min Station Distance
0.162°
RMS Residual
0.76 sec
Last Updated
2026-05-21 04:07:07 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Palmichal, Costa Rica?

The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa Rica on April 28, 2026 at 03:49 UTC had a depth of 70.8 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at 9.8635°, -84.1985°, which is 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa Rica.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 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: us7000sglc). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, April 28, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake 2 km NNE of Palmichal, Costa RicaApril 28, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000sglc/