On Friday Evening a Significant M5.6 Earthquake struck near Oaxaca in Mexico.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on March 15th, 2025. Last updated March 27th, 2025.

A significant MAG-5.6 earthquake struck under land 80 kilometer from Oaxaca in Mexico in the evening of Friday March 14th, 2025. Roughly 13 million people may have felt this earthquake.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Mexico, 80 kilometer (50 mi) west-northwest of Oaxaca. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 64 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time:	Mar 14, 2025 21:19 (Mexico City Time) 13 days ago - Mar 15, 2025 03:19 Universal Time.
Location:	80 km WNW of Oaxaca, Mexico. Coordinates 17°17'14"N 97°26'24"W.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.6 Detected by 58 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.041 .
Depth:	64 km (40 mi) A quite shallow depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.

Roughly 13 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 13 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 1,543,000 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 10 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Mexico .

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
1,569,000	II	Very weak	None
10,230,000	III	Weak	Probably none
1,543,000	IV	Light	Likely none
0	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Mexico . Located 26 kilometer (16 mi) east of the epicenter of this earthquake, Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco (Oaxaca, Mexico) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).

Major cities near this earthquake: Mexico City is located 297 km to the northwest (intensity unknown, possibly low). Puebla is located 211 km to the north-northwest and experienced an intensity of III (weak shaking, probably no damage). Iztapalapa is located 287 km to the northwest (intensity unknown, possibly low).

An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below. If places don't have intensity data available, it likely means the experienced impact in those places was fairly small.

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
26 km (16 mi) W from epicenter	Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
68 km (42 mi) NNW from epicenter	Ciudad de Huajuapan de León Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
73 km (45 mi) ESE from epicenter	Santa María Atzompa Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
80 km (50 mi) ESE from epicenter	Oaxaca Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
80 km (50 mi) ESE from epicenter	Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
84 km (52 mi) ESE from epicenter	San Antonio de la Cal Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
98 km (61 mi) SE from epicenter	Ocotlán de Morelos Oaxaca, Mexico.	IV Light
118 km (73 mi) N from epicenter	Zinacatepec Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
120 km (75 mi) NNW from epicenter	Acatlán de Osorio Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
121 km (75 mi) N from epicenter	Altepexi Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
122 km (76 mi) WSW from epicenter	Ometepec Guerrero, Mexico.	III Weak
123 km (76 mi) N from epicenter	Ajalpan Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
124 km (77 mi) SSW from epicenter	Pinotepa Nacional Oaxaca, Mexico.	III Weak
124 km (77 mi) WNW from epicenter	Tlapa de Comonfort Guerrero, Mexico.	III Weak
131 km (81 mi) N from epicenter	Tehuacán Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
139 km (86 mi) SE from epicenter	Miahuatlán de Porfirio Díaz Oaxaca, Mexico.	III Weak
162 km (101 mi) SSE from epicenter	Puerto Escondido Oaxaca, Mexico.	III Weak
165 km (103 mi) ENE from epicenter	Tuxtepec Oaxaca, Mexico.	III Weak
171 km (106 mi) N from epicenter	Ciudad Mendoza Veracruz, Mexico.	III Weak
172 km (107 mi) NE from epicenter	Tierra Blanca Veracruz, Mexico.	III Weak
174 km (108 mi) N from epicenter	Río Blanco Veracruz, Mexico.	III Weak
178 km (111 mi) N from epicenter	Orizaba Veracruz, Mexico.	III Weak
182 km (113 mi) NW from epicenter	Izúcar de Matamoros Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
186 km (116 mi) NNE from epicenter	Córdoba Veracruz, Mexico.	III Weak
211 km (131 mi) NNW from epicenter	Puebla Puebla, Mexico.	III Weak
221 km (137 mi) W from epicenter	Chilpancingo Guerrero, Mexico.
232 km (144 mi) NW from epicenter	Cuautla Morelos, Mexico.	III Weak
240 km (149 mi) NNW from epicenter	Tlaxcala Tlaxcala, Mexico.
251 km (156 mi) NNE from epicenter	Veracruz Veracruz, Mexico.
255 km (158 mi) NW from epicenter	Jiutepec Morelos, Mexico.	III Weak
256 km (159 mi) NNE from epicenter	Xalapa de Enríquez Veracruz, Mexico.
263 km (163 mi) NW from epicenter	Cuernavaca Morelos, Mexico.	II Weak
267 km (166 mi) W from epicenter	Acapulco de Juárez Guerrero, Mexico.
268 km (167 mi) NW from epicenter	Chalco México, Mexico.
272 km (169 mi) NW from epicenter	Ixtapaluca México, Mexico.
272 km (169 mi) NW from epicenter	Xico México, Mexico.
277 km (172 mi) NW from epicenter	Tláhuac Mexico City, Mexico.
281 km (175 mi) NW from epicenter	Xochimilco Mexico City, Mexico.
283 km (176 mi) NW from epicenter	Chicoloapan México, Mexico.
286 km (178 mi) NW from epicenter	Santa María Chimalhuacán México, Mexico.
287 km (178 mi) NW from epicenter	Iztapalapa Mexico City, Mexico.
288 km (179 mi) NW from epicenter	Tlalpan Mexico City, Mexico.
288 km (179 mi) NW from epicenter	Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl México, Mexico.
290 km (180 mi) NNW from epicenter	Apan Hidalgo, Mexico.
292 km (181 mi) NW from epicenter	Coyoacán Mexico City, Mexico.
293 km (182 mi) NW from epicenter	Iztacalco Mexico City, Mexico.
294 km (183 mi) NW from epicenter	Magdalena Contreras Mexico City, Mexico.
294 km (183 mi) NW from epicenter	Benito Juárez Mexico City, Mexico.
296 km (184 mi) NW from epicenter	Colonia del Valle Mexico City, Mexico.
296 km (184 mi) NW from epicenter	Álvaro Obregón Mexico City, Mexico.
297 km (185 mi) NW from epicenter	Mexico City Mexico City, Mexico.
297 km (185 mi) NW from epicenter	Venustiano Carranza Mexico City, Mexico.
300 km (186 mi) NW from epicenter	Cuauhtémoc Mexico City, Mexico.

Earthquake Intensity Map

The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is IV. The map below shows in which areas this earthquake was the most and least impactful. It is based on data from the US Geographic Survey.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Shaking reported by 49 people

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 49 people have reported shaking in 21 places, all within Mexico.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico: 13 people.
Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico: 10 people.
Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico: 4 people.
Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico: 2 people.
Tlalnepantla, México, Mexico: 2 people.
Huajuapan, Oaxaca, Mexico: 2 people.
Pochutla, Oaxaca, Mexico: 2 people.
Zinacatepec, Puebla, Mexico: 1 person.
Tianguismanalco, Puebla, Mexico: 1 person.
Puebla, Puebla, Mexico: 1 person.

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. Just 8 hrs after this main shock, an earthquake measuring MAG-4.1 was detected 86 km (54 mi) east of this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.6	Mar 14, 2025 21:19 (Mexico City Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.1	8 hrs later Mar 15, 2025 05:22 (Mexico City Time)	86 km (54 mi) E from Main Shock.

More earthquakes coming?

Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.

It's always adviced to be cautious of the risk of a larger shock following any significant earthquake, however this risk is fairly small. There is a roughly 94 percent change that no larger main shock will follow in the days following this 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 December 7th, 2023, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 176 km (109 mi) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on June 23rd, 2020.

In total, 16 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.6 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 8 months.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always 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	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.6. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 64 km (40 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 27/03/25 04:48 (1 day ago). 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.