Over the past 30 days, Nicaragua has recorded 3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater in our tracker. 3 landed between M4.0 and M4.9. By depth: 2 shallow (<70 km), 1 intermediate (70–300 km). 1 of the epicenters were offshore. 1 event produced at least one felt report, totalling 6 citizen submissions to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Focal depths ranged from 45.8 km to 197.7 km. All 3 solutions have been reviewed by a USGS seismologist.
Leading the list is a magnitude 4.5 event near 17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador at 197.7 km depth. The second-ranked event, at magnitude 4.5 near 35 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua, trails by 0.0 magnitude units — a narrow gap, indicating two comparably energetic events in the current window. Rounding out the top three is a magnitude 4.5 earthquake near 50 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua.
Each row in the table below includes a narrative summary of the event, ordered by time. Use the column headers to sort or filter by magnitude.
| Time ↓ | Mag ↕ | Location ↕ | Depth ↕ | Felt ↕ | MMI | Alert | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2026-05-13 2026-05-13 09:21:48 UTC | 4.5mb | 17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador 13.159°, -87.814° | 197.7 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On May 13, 2026 at 09:21 UTC, a magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck 17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador. It is the largest earthquake currently listed for Nicaragua over the past 30 days. The hypocenter lay at 197.7 km, placing this in the intermediate depth category. The epicenter is at 13.159°, -87.814°. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-13 2026-05-13 03:45:21 UTC | 4.5mb | 35 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 11.540°, -86.719° | 67.9 km | 6 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake was recorded 35 km SW of Masachapa, Nicaragua on May 13, 2026 at 03:45 UTC. A small number of nearby observers (6) submitted felt reports to the USGS. At a depth of 67.9 km, the event was shallow crustal. The event was offshore — common for earthquakes along subduction zones and transform plate boundaries. Geolocation places the event at 11.540°N, -86.719°E. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-05-04 2026-05-04 13:50:43 UTC | 4.5mb | 50 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua 11.562°, -86.919° | 45.8 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 4.5 earthquake 50 km WSW of Masachapa, Nicaragua with origin time 13:50 UTC on May 4, 2026. The event originated approximately 45.8 km below the surface, classifying it as shallow crustal. Coordinates: 11.562°, -86.919°. The solution has been reviewed by a USGS seismologist and is considered finalized. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador
2026-05-13
2 km WSW of Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua
2026-03-26
Data from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Updated every 5 minutes.
Nicaragua lies along the Central American volcanic arc where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the Caribbean Plate, producing frequent seismic activity.
In 2026, Nicaragua has recorded 26 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater so far. The largest earthquake in Nicaragua in 2026 was a magnitude 5.5 event near Ciudad Sandino, Nicaragua. As of today, seismic monitoring continues with 0 earthquakes detected in the past 24 hours and 3 in the last 30 days.
Nicaragua lies along the Central American volcanic arc where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the Caribbean Plate, producing frequent seismic activity.
Over the past 30 days, there have been 3 recorded earthquakes in this region. The largest recent earthquake was a magnitude 4.5 event near 17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador.
In the past 30 days, 3 earthquakes have been recorded in the Nicaragua region. The number varies based on seismic activity in the area.
The largest recent earthquake in the Nicaragua area was a magnitude 4.5 event that occurred 17 km SSE of Conchagua, El Salvador.
Residents should secure heavy furniture, create an emergency kit with supplies for 72 hours, develop a family communication plan, and practice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" during earthquake drills. Visit our preparedness section for detailed guides.
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