USGS · September 18, 2026
Magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Yauco, Puerto Rico
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake was recorded near 5 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico on Sep 18, 2026, 09:19 AM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4), at a depth of about 7.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 72 people · community intensity V (moderate)Shaking IVPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-18 15:47 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.8 · local (Richter) magnitude
- Location
- 5 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 18, 2026, 09:19 AM — AST, UTC-4
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-18 13:19 UTC
- Depth
- 7.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 17.939, -66.945
- Felt reports
- Felt by 72 people · community intensity V (moderate)
- Estimated shaking
- IV · Light
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 393 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 23 seismic stations used · 191° azimuthal gap (less well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
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.
Estimated instrumental shaking IV (Light): Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
People who reported it described intensity V (Moderate): Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 125,921 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 1,317,056 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Guánica | 5.4 km NE | 9,224 |
| Fuig | 6.2 km NNE | 1,204 |
| Maria Antonia | 7.4 km NE | 1,479 |
| Palomas | 11.3 km NE | 2,321 |
| La Parguera | 11.4 km WNW | 1,141 |
| Liborio Negron Torres | 11.6 km N | 1,303 |
| Lluveras | 11.8 km NNE | 2,005 |
| Indios | 14.7 km ENE | 1,739 |
| Yauco | 14.7 km NE | 20,295 |
| Sabana Grande | 15.5 km N | 8,961 |
Earthquake history in this area
10 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Puerto Rico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
31 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 2.6 3 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
M 2.5 3 km W of Fuig, Puerto RicoFelt · 1
M 2.6 5 km NW of Guayabal, Puerto Rico
M 3.1 8 km NW of Puerto Real, Puerto Rico
M 3.0 1 km ENE of Indios, Puerto Rico
M 2.9 18 km W of Rincón, Puerto Rico
M 2.9 5 km E of La Parguera, Puerto RicoFelt · 1
M 3.0 15 km N of Arecibo, Puerto Rico
M 2.6 1 km SSE of Indios, Puerto Rico
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 5 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
SeismoWatch pushes a notification to your Android phone within minutes of a matching earthquake — for the area and magnitude you choose.
Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 5 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico earthquake?
Magnitude 4.8 (local (Richter) magnitude), at a depth of 7.0 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 18, 2026, 09:19 AM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-09-18 13:19 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 72 people · community intensity V (moderate). Felt indoors by many; dishes and windows rattle and parked cars rock.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Guánica, 5.4 km NE (population 9,224).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.4 (4 km SSE of Indios, Puerto Rico, 2020), and 31 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.