Published on Wednesday, November 19, 2025
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) reported no casualties, injuries, or structural damage following a magnitude 5.6 earthquake that shook parts of the country on Tuesday.

The quake struck at 4:36 p.m. at a depth of 12 miles (about 20 kilometers). The epicenter was 31 miles (about 50 kilometers) southwest of Uvita Beach near the Osa Peninsula in Puntarenas Province, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (Ovsicori) at the National University.

Three major aftershocks were recorded within the first hour after the main tremor, 4:40 p.m. to 5:40 p.m., the strongest registering at magnitude 3.8 at 5:25 p.m., the Ovsicori said.

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, named after Cocos Island, 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 on local faults within the continental crust, the Ovsicori noted.

Major seismic events have been recorded in this region, including a magnitude 6.8 quake located 24 miles south of Quepos Beach in Puntarenas on Sept. 9, 1952, and a magnitude 6.9 quake on Aug. 20, 1999, in the same area.

Costa Rica’s Seismic Alert and Early Warning System (SATT), developed by Ovsicori, remains active and provides residents with real-time alerts on potential seismic activity.

Authorities continue to emphasize the importance of earthquake preparedness. In August, the CNE coordinated the National Emergency Evacuation Drill to strengthen the country’s disaster response and teach the public practical safety measures for emergencies such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, wildfires, landslides, and volcanic eruptions.

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

The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Costa Rica occurred on April 22, 1991. Known as the Limón Earthquake, the magnitude 7.7 tremor struck  La Estrella Valley in Limón province at 3:57 p.m. It was felt from Nicaragua to Panama and caused 48 deaths in Costa Rica and 79 in Panama.

Ovsicori is a research institute of the National University dedicated to monitoring volcanic and seismic activity.

The CNE works in coordination with communities and emergency responders to strengthen the nation’s preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities during natural disasters.

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