EMSC · September 29, 2026
Magnitude 3.8 earthquake near El Papayo, Mexico
A magnitude 3.8 earthquake was recorded near 56 km NNE of El Papayo, Mexico on Sep 29, 2026, 02:53 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-30 05:06 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.8 · m
- Location
- 56 km NNE of El Papayo, Mexico
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 29, 2026, 02:53 PM — CST, UTC-6
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-29 20:53 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 16.590, -100.497
- 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 851,129 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| El Papayo | 56.1 km NNE | 2,247 |
| Cayaco | 56.4 km NNE | 1,242 |
| Hacienda de Cabañas | 56.5 km N | 2,011 |
| Zacualpan | 58.4 km NNE | 2,488 |
| Las Tunas | 58.9 km N | 1,311 |
| El Espinalillo | 59.0 km NE | 1,051 |
| Los Mogotes | 59.4 km NE | 1,284 |
| Arenal de Álvarez (Arenal de Paco) | 59.8 km N | 1,311 |
| Las Lomas | 61.1 km NE | 1,303 |
| San Jerónimo de Juárez | 61.1 km N | 7,200 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Mexico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
24 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.8 OFFSHORE GUERRERO, MEXICO
M 3.6 5 km ENE of El Espinalillo, Mexico
M 3.7 50 km NE of Papanoa, Mexico
M 3.7 4 km NW of Lomas de Chapultepec, Mexico
M 3.5 7 km S of San Luis de La Loma, Mexico
M 3.6 24 km N of Hacienda de Cabañas, Mexico
M 4.0 5 km NE of San Pedro las Playas, Mexico
M 4.0 6 km NNE of Los Mogotes, Mexico
M 4.1 38 km NNE of Hacienda de Cabañas, Mexico
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 56 km NNE of El Papayo, Mexico earthquake?
Magnitude 3.8 (m), at a depth of 10.0 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 29, 2026, 02:53 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6). In universal time: 2026-09-29 20:53 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 Papayo, 56.1 km NNE (population 2,247).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.6 (12 km SSE of Vallecitos de Zaragoza, Mexico, 1979), and 24 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.