EarthquakeIndex

Earthquakes in Costa Rica

Costa Rica lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where the Cocos plate subducts beneath the Caribbean plate along the Middle America Trench just offshore. The same collision that fuels the country's volcanoes generates frequent earthquakes, from daily microtremors to major coastal ruptures.

The 1991 Limón earthquake (M7.6) lifted stretches of the Caribbean coastline by more than a metre, and the 2012 Nicoya earthquake (M7.6) released strain that scientists had watched building for decades. Strict construction standards help limit the damage.

The figures below are drawn live from the EarthquakeIndex archive for the area shown. No one can predict when the next earthquake will strike — but you can follow every event the moment EMSC records it.

Costa Rica seismic activity at a glance

Recent earthquakes in Costa Rica

The last 30 days, newest first.

Date Magnitude Depth Region
M3.2m 19 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M3.0m 1 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M2.6m 16 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M2.5m 75 km Near Coast Of Nicaragua
M3.2m 21 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M2.5m 11 km Costa Rica
M2.5m 6 km Costa Rica
M2.6m 11 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M2.7m 10 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M2.6m 23 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M4.2m 18 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M3.1m 5 km Costa Rica
M2.7m 96 km Near Coast Of Nicaragua
M3.0m 18 km Off Coast Of Costa Rica
M2.9m 15 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M3.1m 25 km Costa Rica
M3.4m 9 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M2.6m 34 km Costa Rica
M3.1m 3 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region
M2.9m 23 km Panama-costa Rica Border Region

Live data from the EarthquakeIndex archive · source EMSC.

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