Latest earthquakes near San José today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near San José, Costa Rica, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in San José? If an earthquake is happening right now near San José, it will show up within minutes.
Recent San José Earthquake News
These are the latest articles published related to earthquakes occurring near San José. Check our Earthquake News section for a complete overview of articles written on earthquakes near San José and elsewhere.
Sep 30, 2026 03:55PM
Shallow M5.6 Earthquake struck on Wednesday Afternoon in the North Pacific Ocean 266km from San José (Costa Rica).
San José Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 1516 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of San José in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 151 earthquakes per year, or 12 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near San José roughly every 2 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near San José in 2019. A total of 201 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of San José that year. The strongest had a 6.2 magnitude.
Magnitude Distribution
The table below visualizes the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300km of San José in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or above have occurred near San José during this time. Usually, higher magnitudes are less common than lower magnitudes. Small earthquakes with a magnitude below 4 on the Richter scale have been omitted from this overview.
| Magnitude | Earthquakes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mag. 4 | 1457 | 96.11% |
| Mag. 5 | 53 | 3.5% |
| Mag. 6 | 6 | 0.4% |
| Mag. 7 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near San José
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near San José occurred on Nov 12, 2017 20:28 local time (America/Costa_Rica timezone). It had a magnitude of 6.5 and struck 64 kilometers (40 mi) south-west of San José, at a depth of 19 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near San José in the list below.
A longer time ago, a MAG-7.6 earthquake struck on Dec 21, 1939 14:54, 37 kilometers (23 mi) south-west of San José. It is the strongest earthquake near San José in the past 126 years (Our data goes back to January 1st, 1900).
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near San José in the past 10 years. You can use the tabs to find the heaviest historic earthquakes since the year 1900 or within a specific year or distance from San José.
Nearest earthquakes from San José
These are the earthquakes with their epicenter nearest to San José. You can use the buttons to find nearby earthquakes for a specific year or with a specific magnitude.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near San José.
When was the last earthquake in San José?
A 2.8 magnitude earthquake hit near San José on the night of October 5, 2026 at 03:32 local time (America/Costa_Rica). The center of this earthquake was located 223km south-east of San José at a depth of 20km under land. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near San José in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near San José?
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit near San José on the afternoon of December 21, 1939 at 14:54 local time (America/Costa_Rica). The center of this earthquake was located 37km west of San José at a depth of 25km under land. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near San José since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near San José?
In the past 10 years, 1516 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from San José. This averages to 152 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 2 days.
