M4.6 Earthquake near La Gloria, Mexico — 21 February 2025
A light earthquake of magnitude 4.6 was recorded near La Gloria, Mexico on , with an epicentre 61 km south-southwest of La Gloria, at a focal depth of 73.8 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-02-21 23:32:20
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 4.6 (light)
Focal depth: 73.8 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: 15.6422, -94.3535
Location: 61 km SSW of La Gloria, Mexico
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items.
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake radiates roughly 120 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 326, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 15.6422, -94.3535 — 61 km south-southwest of La Gloria. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.4 earthquake 151 km north-northwest of here on 18 July 2026.
Why the 74 km depth matters
At 74 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.6 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
180 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.4 event near Puerto Madero on 17 July 2026. This M4.6 event released about 15,849 times less energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the February 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.4 earthquake near El Bajío, Mexico — (151 km NNW)
- M4.5 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — (154 km SE)
- M4.3 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico — (156 km ESE)
- M4.4 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico — (162 km SE)
- M5.2 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico — (167 km SE)
- M4.2 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — (172 km SSE)
- M4.5 earthquake near Aquiles Serdán, Mexico — (176 km SE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (179 km SE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Aquiles Serdán, Mexico — (180 km SE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (181 km SE)
Other magnitude 4 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.4 earthquake near Cartagena, Chile —
- M4.8 earthquake near Noda, Japan —
- M4.4 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico —
- M4.3 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico —
- M4.4 earthquake near Fiji region —
- M4.5 earthquake near Abepura, Indonesia —
- M4.6 earthquake near Honmachi, Japan —
- M4.4 earthquake near Ollagüe, Chile —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 4.6 earthquake?
Light earthquakes are widely felt near the epicentre and can rattle windows, dishes and hanging objects. Damage is uncommon and usually limited to cracked plaster or fallen loose items. A magnitude 4.6 earthquake radiates roughly 120 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near La Gloria?
At 74 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
Was the M4.6 earthquake near La Gloria felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size is often felt across the surrounding area. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M4.6 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near La Gloria?
180 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.4 event near Puerto Madero on 17 July 2026. This M4.6 event released about 15,849 times less energy than that event.