EMSC · October 17, 2026
Magnitude 3.6 earthquake near Pijijiapan, Mexico
A magnitude 3.6 earthquake was recorded near 26 km ENE of El Palmarcito, Mexico on Oct 17, 2026, 01:58 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6), at a depth of about 84.3 km, according to EMSC.
EMSCIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-18 04:09 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.6 · m
- Location
- 26 km ENE of El Palmarcito, Mexico
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 17, 2026, 01:58 PM — CST, UTC-6
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-17 19:58 UTC
- Depth
- 84.3 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- 15.443, -93.451
- 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
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
Who lives nearby
About 1,135 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 302,673 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| El Palmarcito | 26.1 km ENE | 1,135 |
| La Esperanza (El Zapotal) | 30.7 km E | 1,031 |
| La Esperanza | 30.9 km E | 1,031 |
| San Isidro | 35.1 km NNE | 1,626 |
| Las Brisas | 36.7 km ENE | 1,718 |
| Tamaulipas | 36.9 km N | 1,567 |
| Pijijiapan | 37.4 km NE | 50,079 |
| El Carmen | 37.6 km ENE | 1,416 |
| Joaquín Miguel Gutiérrez (Margaritas) | 40.2 km ENE | 1,617 |
| Manuel Ávila Camacho (Ponte Duro) | 43.4 km NNW | 1,778 |
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
55 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.5 31 km NE of Manuel Ávila Camacho (Ponte Duro), Mexico
M 4.0 28 km ENE of El Arenal, Mexico
M 4.8 7 km WSW of Soconusco, Mexico
M 3.5 5 km ESE of Tamaulipas, Mexico
M 3.6 59 km N of La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico
M 3.5 OFF COAST OF CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 3.7 OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
M 3.5 9 km NNW of San Isidro, Mexico
M 4.1 18 km NNE of El Arenal, Mexico
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 26 km ENE of El Palmarcito, Mexico earthquake?
Magnitude 3.6 (m), at a depth of 84.3 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 17, 2026, 01:58 PM (local time at the epicentre — CST, UTC-6). In universal time: 2026-10-17 19:58 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 Palmarcito, 26.1 km ENE (population 1,135).
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 55 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.