USGS · September 20, 2026
Magnitude 3.0 earthquake near Ponce, Puerto Rico
A magnitude 3.0 earthquake was recorded near 6 km SSE of Ponce, Puerto Rico on Sep 20, 2026, 03:53 AM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4), at a depth of about 14.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-20 09:17 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 3.0 · duration magnitude
- Location
- 6 km SSE of Ponce, Puerto Rico
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 20, 2026, 03:53 AM — AST, UTC-4
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-20 07:53 UTC
- Depth
- 14.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 17.951, -66.602
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 143 / 1000 · routine event
- Solution quality
- 15 seismic stations used · 141° azimuthal gap (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.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
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 259,287 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 2,273,615 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Ponce | 7.0 km NNW | 137,491 |
| Capitanejo | 10.0 km NE | 3,209 |
| Aguilita | 10.7 km NE | 4,922 |
| Potala Pastillo | 12.0 km ENE | 3,819 |
| Coto Laurel | 12.2 km NNE | 3,606 |
| Tallaboa | 13.1 km WNW | 1,150 |
| Luis Llorens Torres | 14.1 km NE | 3,328 |
| Juana Díaz | 15.1 km NE | 9,427 |
| Tallaboa Alta | 15.2 km NW | 2,243 |
| Río Cañas Abajo | 17.1 km NE | 1,185 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Puerto Rico.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
50 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 2.6 4 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
M 3.1 12 km SE of Emajagua, Puerto Rico
M 2.5 11 km N of Quebradillas, Puerto Rico
M 2.8 2 km SW of Fuig, Puerto Rico
M 3.0 7 km SSE of Ponce, Puerto Rico
M 3.1 4 km WSW of Fuig, Puerto Rico
M 3.1 5 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
M 3.0 3 km SW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
M 2.6 4 km WSW of Guánica, Puerto Rico
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 6 km SSE of Ponce, Puerto Rico
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 6 km SSE of Ponce, Puerto Rico earthquake?
Magnitude 3.0 (duration magnitude), at a depth of 14.0 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 20, 2026, 03:53 AM (local time at the epicentre — AST, UTC-4). In universal time: 2026-09-20 07:53 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 Ponce, 7.0 km NNW (population 137,491).
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 50 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.