A magnitude 5.93 earthquake struck offshore near Costa Rica on Wednesday, according to Germany’s GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, with the United States Geological Survey recording the tremor at magnitude 5.7 located 72 kilometres southwest of Tamarindo at a depth of 20 kilometres at 6:56:02 UTC — approximately 12:26 PM IST.
The offshore location of the epicentre — 72 kilometres into the Pacific Ocean southwest of the popular coastal town of Tamarindo on Costa Rica’s Guanacaste coast — means the seismic energy was largely absorbed by open ocean before reaching populated areas. A depth of 20 kilometres is classified as a shallow earthquake, a characteristic that typically produces stronger ground shaking at the surface than deeper events of the same magnitude, but the significant offshore distance from land reduces the impact on coastal communities.
No immediate reports of damage, casualties, or tsunami warnings have been issued following the tremor. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has not issued any tsunami advisory or warning for the region, which is consistent with the earthquake’s magnitude — a sub-6.0 event at this distance from shore does not typically generate the seafloor displacement necessary to trigger a tsunami.
Costa Rica sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is one of the most seismically active countries in Central America, positioned where the Cocos tectonic plate subducts beneath the Caribbean plate — a geological process that generates frequent earthquakes of varying magnitudes across the country and its offshore Pacific waters. Tremors of magnitude 5.0 to 6.0 are not uncommon in the region and are generally well-tolerated by Costa Rica’s building stock, which is subject to seismic construction standards developed in response to the country’s high earthquake frequency.
Tamarindo is a well-known tourist and surfing destination on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast in Guanacaste province. Local residents and visitors in the area may have felt the tremor as moderate shaking, though at 72 kilometres distance the intensity at the surface would have been significantly lower than at the epicentre.
No further updates on damage or aftershock activity are available at the time of publication. Business Upturn will update this article if significant developments including damage reports or aftershocks are confirmed.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Seismic data is sourced from GFZ and USGS public feeds and is subject to revision as analysis continues. Business Upturn is not responsible for any decisions made based on this article.