No casualties, injuries or significant structural damage were reported after a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Costa Rica’s southern zone early Thursday, according to the National Emergency Commission, known as CNE.

The earthquake struck at 2:26 a.m. at a depth of 8.6 miles. Its epicenter was located about 33 miles southwest of Uvita Beach, near Marino Ballena National Park in Puntarenas Province, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of the National University, known as Ovsicori.

Experts recorded 60 aftershocks during the three hours following the main earthquake. The aftershocks ranged in magnitude from 2.0 to 4.5.

Seismologists linked the earthquake to tectonic activity involving the Cocos Plate, an oceanic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean off Central America’s western coast. The plate is named after Cocos Island, which is located off Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, and is responsible for much of the region’s seismic activity.

Earthquakes along Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast are common and can originate either in the subduction zone or along local faults within the continental crust, Ovsicori said.

Costa Rica’s Seismic Alert and Early Warning System, known as SATT and developed by Ovsicori, provides residents with real-time alerts about potential seismic activity.

Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of earthquake preparedness. In August, the CNE coordinated the National Emergency Evacuation Drill to strengthen disaster response and educate the public about safety measures for emergencies, including earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, landslides and volcanic eruptions.

Costa Rica experiences an average of about 400 earthquakes each month, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the region, according to experts.

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