EMSC · September 18, 2026
Magnitude 3.9 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico
A magnitude 3.9 earthquake was recorded near OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO on Sep 18, 2026, 01:18 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6), at a depth of about 12.6 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-19 03:47 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.9 · m
- Location
- OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 18, 2026, 01:18 PM — CST, UTC-6
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-18 19:18 UTC
- Depth
- 12.6 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 14.779, -93.247
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- EMSC (Centro Sismológico Euromediterráneo)
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 172,834 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| El Arenal | 73.3 km NE | 1,157 |
| La Esperanza (El Zapotal) | 75.1 km N | 1,031 |
| La Esperanza | 75.2 km N | 1,031 |
| Hidalgo | 78.8 km ENE | 1,640 |
| Zacualpa | 79.4 km ENE | 1,076 |
| El Palmarcito | 80.0 km N | 1,135 |
| Aquiles Serdán | 80.7 km ENE | 1,135 |
| Soconusco | 81.7 km NE | 2,502 |
| Mapastepec | 81.7 km NNE | 17,931 |
| Acapetahua | 81.9 km NE | 6,194 |
Earthquake history in this area
11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Mexico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
163 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.9 OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 4.6 125 km SSW of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico
M 3.6 OFF COAST OF CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 4.3 OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 4.1 OFF COAST OF CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 3.9 OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 3.7 48 km NE of El Arenal, Mexico
M 4.0 OFF COAST OF CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 4.0 OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO earthquake?
Magnitude 3.9 (m), at a depth of 12.6 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Sep 18, 2026, 01:18 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6). In universal time: 2026-09-18 19:18 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is El Arenal, 73.3 km NE (population 1,157).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.2 (2017 Tehuantepec, Mexico Earthquake, 2017), and 163 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.