USGS · October 9, 2026
Magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Puerto Vidal, Panama
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded near 47 km SSW of Puerto Vidal, Panama on Oct 9, 2026, 01:02 PM (local time at the epicentre — EST, UTC-5), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSShaking VIPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-27 09:45 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.4 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 47 km SSW of Puerto Vidal, Panama
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 9, 2026, 01:02 PM — EST, UTC-5
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-09 18:02 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- 7.649, -81.763
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Estimated shaking
- VI · Strong
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 449 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 29 seismic stations used · 323° 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 VI (Strong): Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
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 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 98,978 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto Vidal | 47.8 km NNE | 506 |
| Río Grande | 47.9 km E | 71 |
| Zapotillo | 48.7 km NE | 375 |
| Quebrada de Piedra | 50.4 km N | 455 |
| Calidonia | 53.8 km NE | 228 |
| El María | 55.0 km NE | 87 |
| Guarumal | 58.0 km ENE | 477 |
| Lajas de Tolé | 58.4 km N | 235 |
| Lolá | 59.1 km NNE | 364 |
| Quebrada de Oro | 59.7 km NE | 73 |
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
42 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 4.6 12 km SSE of Tebario, PanamaFelt · 3
M 4.5 26 km SSW of Zapotillo, Panama
M 4.7 14 km WNW of Río Grande, Panama
M 4.6 24 km WNW of Río Grande, Panama
M 4.5 24 km SSW of Zapotillo, Panama
M 4.9 19 km W of Río Grande, PanamaFelt · 5
M 5.0 8 km NW of Río Grande, Panama
M 6.1 15 km W of Río Grande, PanamaFelt · 72PAGER Yellow
M 4.5 8 km SE of Zapotillo, PanamaFelt · 1
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 47 km SSW of Puerto Vidal, Panama earthquake?
Magnitude 5.4 (body-wave magnitude), 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?
Oct 9, 2026, 01:02 PM (local time at the epicentre — EST, UTC-5). In universal time: 2026-10-09 18:02 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Puerto Vidal, 47.8 km NNE (population 506).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.7 (12 km WSW of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama, 2026), and 42 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.