Earthquakes in Costa Rica — May 2026

8 earthquakes were recorded in Costa Rica during May 2026, an average of 0.3 per day.

6 reached magnitude 4 or above and 0 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 21 km.

The month's largest event in Costa Rica was a magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Jacó, Costa Rica on 13 May 2026 at 16:22 UTC. A magnitude 4.9 earthquake radiates roughly 338 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is well above the Costa Rica monthly average of 3 events over the period we cover — an unusually active month, and up from the 3 recorded the previous month.

100% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 0% intermediate (70–300 km) and 0% deep-focus (over 300 km). Almost everything here is crustal. That is characteristic of transform faulting or continental deformation rather than subduction — and it means shaking at the surface is strong for the magnitudes involved.

By band, the catalogue holds 2 in the magnitude 3 range, 6 in the magnitude 4 range.

Activity peaked on 14 May, when 2 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M4.9 near Jacó, Costa Rica on 13 May at 10 km; M4.5 near Tamarindo, Costa Rica on 27 May at 34 km; M4.5 near Puerto Cortés, Costa Rica on 22 May at 38 km.

That is 176% above the 3 events Costa Rica averages per month across the 20 months on record.