Earthquakes in Puerto Rico — May 2025

200 earthquakes were recorded in Puerto Rico during May 2025, an average of 6.5 per day.

2 reached magnitude 4 or above and 0 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 20 km.

The month's largest event in Puerto Rico was a magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Isabela, Puerto Rico on 17 May 2025 at 03:24 UTC. A magnitude 4.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is close to the Puerto Rico monthly average of 173 events over the period we cover, and down from the 211 recorded the previous month.

98% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 2% 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 17 in the magnitude 1 range, 127 in the magnitude 2 range, 54 in the magnitude 3 range, 2 in the magnitude 4 range.

Activity peaked on 17 May, when 15 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M4.2 near Isabela, Puerto Rico on 17 May at 25 km; M4.0 near San Antonio, Puerto Rico on 17 May at 24 km; M4.0 near Vieques, Puerto Rico on 15 May at 76 km.

That is 16% above the 173 events Puerto Rico averages per month across the 21 months on record.