Earthquakes in the U.S. Virgin Islands — May 2025

32 earthquakes were recorded in the U.S. Virgin Islands during May 2025, an average of 1.0 per day.

3 reached magnitude 4 or above and 3 reached magnitude 5 or above. The average focal depth was 41 km.

The month's largest event in the U.S. Virgin Islands was a magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on 04 May 2025 at 06:58 UTC. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake radiates roughly 4,202 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

That is close to the the U.S. Virgin Islands monthly average of 39 events over the period we cover, and up from the 26 recorded the previous month.

91% of events here are shallow (under 70 km), 9% 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 4 in the magnitude 2 range, 25 in the magnitude 3 range, 3 in the magnitude 5 range.

Activity peaked on 04 May, when 6 events were recorded.

The month's largest events were M5.6 near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on 04 May at 20 km; M5.3 near Cruz Bay, U.S. Virgin Islands on 04 May at 36 km; M5.1 near Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands on 04 May at 28 km.

That is 19% below the 39 events the U.S. Virgin Islands averages per month across the 21 months on record.

This month also holds the strongest earthquake recorded in the U.S. Virgin Islands in our entire catalogue.