A significant MAG-5.1 earthquake struck in the North Pacific Ocean 155 kilometer from Managua, Nicaragua in the evening of Thursday September 26th, 2024. El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica are also near its epicenter.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 85 kilometers (53 mi) off the coast of Nicaragua, 155 kilometer west of Managua. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 51 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Sep 26, 2024 09:39PM (Managua Time) - Sep 27, 2024 03:39 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 155 km west of Managua, Nicaragua. Coordinates 11°52'43"N 87°39'8"W. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 15 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.08 . |
| Depth: | 51 km (32 mi) A quite shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
4 countries can be found within 300km of the epicenter of this earthquake: Nicaragua , El Salvador , Honduras and Costa Rica .
Located 85 kilometer (53 mi) southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Corinto (Chinandega, Nicaragua) is the nearest significant population center.
Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Managua is located 155 km to the east. Tegucigalpa is located 250 km to the north. San Salvador is located 261 km to the northwest.
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 85 km (53 mi) NE from epicenter |
Corinto Chinandega, Nicaragua. |
| 101 km (63 mi) NE from epicenter |
Chinandega Chinandega, Nicaragua. |
| 102 km (63 mi) NNE from epicenter |
El Viejo Chinandega, Nicaragua. |
| 103 km (64 mi) NE from epicenter |
Chichigalpa Chinandega, Nicaragua. |
| 105 km (65 mi) NE from epicenter |
León León, Nicaragua. |
| 118 km (73 mi) ENE from epicenter |
La Paz Centro León, Nicaragua. |
| 126 km (78 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Nagarote León, Nicaragua. |
| 132 km (82 mi) E from epicenter |
San Rafael del Sur Managua, Nicaragua. |
| 146 km (91 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Ciudad Sandino Managua, Nicaragua. |
| 147 km (91 mi) E from epicenter |
El Crucero Managua, Nicaragua. |
| 153 km (95 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Somotillo Chinandega, Nicaragua. |
| 154 km (96 mi) E from epicenter |
Diriamba Carazo, Nicaragua. |
| 155 km (96 mi) E from epicenter |
Managua Managua, Nicaragua. |
| 158 km (98 mi) E from epicenter |
San Marcos Carazo, Nicaragua. |
| 158 km (98 mi) E from epicenter |
Jinotepe Carazo, Nicaragua. |
| 163 km (101 mi) N from epicenter |
La Unión La Unión, El Salvador. |
| 164 km (102 mi) E from epicenter |
Masatepe Masaya, Nicaragua. |
| 166 km (103 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Ciudad Choluteca Choluteca, Honduras. |
| 170 km (106 mi) E from epicenter |
Masaya Masaya, Nicaragua. |
| 173 km (107 mi) N from epicenter |
San Lorenzo Valle, Honduras. |
| 173 km (107 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Tipitapa Managua, Nicaragua. |
| 175 km (109 mi) E from epicenter |
Nandaime Granada, Nicaragua. |
| 184 km (114 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Puerto El Triunfo Usulután, El Salvador. |
| 184 km (114 mi) NNW from epicenter |
San Rafael Oriente San Miguel, El Salvador. |
| 185 km (115 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Usulután Usulután, El Salvador. |
| 185 km (115 mi) E from epicenter |
Granada Granada, Nicaragua. |
| 188 km (117 mi) NNW from epicenter |
San Miguel San Miguel, El Salvador. |
| 195 km (121 mi) NE from epicenter |
Estelí Estelí, Nicaragua. |
| 199 km (124 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Santiago de María Usulután, El Salvador. |
| 205 km (127 mi) ESE from epicenter |
Rivas Rivas, Nicaragua. |
| 208 km (129 mi) NNW from epicenter |
San Francisco Morazán, El Salvador. |
| 213 km (132 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Somoto Madriz, Nicaragua. |
| 221 km (137 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Matagalpa Matagalpa, Nicaragua. |
| 223 km (139 mi) NW from epicenter |
Zacatecoluca La Paz, El Salvador. |
| 224 km (139 mi) NE from epicenter |
Jinotega Jinotega, Nicaragua. |
| 227 km (141 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Boaco Boaco, Nicaragua. |
| 231 km (144 mi) NNW from epicenter |
San Vicente San Vicente, El Salvador. |
| 233 km (145 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Ocotal Nueva Segovia, Nicaragua. |
| 245 km (152 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Sensuntepeque Cabañas, El Salvador. |
| 247 km (153 mi) NW from epicenter |
Cojutepeque Cuscatlán, El Salvador. |
| 250 km (155 mi) E from epicenter |
Juigalpa Chontales, Nicaragua. |
| 250 km (155 mi) N from epicenter |
Tegucigalpa Francisco Morazán, Honduras. |
| 252 km (157 mi) NNW from epicenter |
San Martín Cuscatlán, El Salvador. |
| 257 km (160 mi) NW from epicenter |
Ilopango San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 259 km (161 mi) NW from epicenter |
San Marcos San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 260 km (162 mi) NW from epicenter |
Soyapango San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 261 km (162 mi) NW from epicenter |
San Salvador San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 263 km (163 mi) NW from epicenter |
Delgado San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 264 km (164 mi) NW from epicenter |
Cuscatancingo San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 264 km (164 mi) NW from epicenter |
Mejicanos San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 266 km (165 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Danlí El Paraíso, Honduras. |
| 267 km (166 mi) NW from epicenter |
Santa Tecla La Libertad, El Salvador. |
| 271 km (168 mi) NW from epicenter |
Apopa San Salvador, El Salvador. |
| 271 km (168 mi) N from epicenter |
La Paz La Paz, Honduras. |
| 277 km (172 mi) NNW from epicenter |
Chalatenango Chalatenango, El Salvador. |
| 278 km (173 mi) ESE from epicenter |
Liberia Guanacaste, Costa Rica. |
| 286 km (178 mi) N from epicenter |
Comayagua Comayagua, Honduras. |
| 293 km (182 mi) ESE from epicenter |
San José Alajuela, Costa Rica. |
13 Aftershocks detected
Since this main shock, 13 smaller aftershocks were detected. At a distance of 16 km (10 mi) southwest of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 2 mins later. It measured a magnitude of 4.4
In the days before this main shock, 8 smaller foreshocks were detected. Roughly 20 hrs before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-4.7 was detected nearby this earthquake.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 2.9 |
2 days earlier Sep 24, 2024 09:55AM (Managua Time) | 49 km (30 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.8 |
2 days earlier Sep 24, 2024 05:11PM (Managua Time) | 45 km (28 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
2 days earlier Sep 24, 2024 07:35PM (Managua Time) | 50 km (31 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
2 days earlier Sep 25, 2024 03:32AM (Managua Time) | 78 km (48 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.6 |
2 days earlier Sep 25, 2024 06:18AM (Managua Time) | 99 km (62 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
20 hrs earlier Sep 26, 2024 01:54AM (Managua Time) | 68 km (42 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.9 |
14 hrs earlier Sep 26, 2024 08:07AM (Managua Time) | 31 km (19 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.0 |
8 hrs earlier Sep 26, 2024 01:41PM (Managua Time) | 45 km (28 mi) NNE from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.1 |
Sep 26, 2024 09:39PM (Managua Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 4.4 |
2 mins later Sep 26, 2024 09:41PM (Managua Time) | 16 km (10 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.3 |
8 mins later Sep 26, 2024 09:47PM (Managua Time) | 31 km (19 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.5 |
11 mins later Sep 26, 2024 09:50PM (Managua Time) | 38 km (23 mi) SSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
3 hrs later Sep 27, 2024 12:11AM (Managua Time) | 97 km (60 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
3 hrs later Sep 27, 2024 12:34AM (Managua Time) | 32 km (20 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
4 hrs later Sep 27, 2024 01:23AM (Managua Time) | 31 km (19 mi) SSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
8 hrs later Sep 27, 2024 05:17AM (Managua Time) | 25 km (16 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.9 |
14 hrs later Sep 27, 2024 11:18AM (Managua Time) | 68 km (42 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.7 |
1 day later Sep 28, 2024 05:50AM (Managua Time) | 56 km (34 mi) SSW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.6 |
1 day later Sep 28, 2024 08:51AM (Managua Time) | 38 km (24 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.4 |
2 days later Sep 28, 2024 08:50PM (Managua Time) | 83 km (51 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.7 |
2 days later Sep 29, 2024 04:53AM (Managua Time) | 80 km (50 mi) NNW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.6 |
3 days later Sep 29, 2024 10:22AM (Managua Time) | 63 km (39 mi) ENE from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since September 15th, 2024, when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit 279 km (173 mi) further west-northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on October 14th, 2014.
In total, 82 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 2 months.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 51 km (32 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 22/10/24 07:08 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000ngr0
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20240927_0000043
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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