M5.1 Earthquake near Arecibo, Puerto Rico — 19 February 2026
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.1 was recorded near Arecibo, Puerto Rico on , with an epicentre 155 km north of Arecibo, at a focal depth of 34.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-02-19 14:18:06
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.1 (moderate)
Focal depth: 34.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 19.8711, -66.5455
Location: 155 km N of Arecibo, Puerto Rico
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area.
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 413, 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 19.8711, -66.5455 — 155 km north of Arecibo. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 3.4 earthquake 33 km south of here on 30 July 2026.
Why the 34 km depth matters
At 34 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
7 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 3.6.
89 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.9 event near Punta Cana on 25 February 2025. This M5.1 event released about 16 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 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M3.4 earthquake near Tierras Nuevas Poniente, Puerto Rico — (33 km S)
- M3.0 earthquake near Tierras Nuevas Poniente, Puerto Rico — (86 km S)
- M3.3 earthquake near Suárez, Puerto Rico — (102 km ESE)
- M3.3 earthquake near Suárez, Puerto Rico — (111 km SE)
- M3.1 earthquake near San Antonio, Puerto Rico — (119 km SSW)
- M4.8 earthquake near San Antonio, Puerto Rico — (125 km SW)
- M3.3 earthquake near Loíza, Puerto Rico — (129 km SSE)
- M4.8 earthquake near San Antonio, Puerto Rico — (130 km SW)
- M2.9 earthquake near San Juan, Puerto Rico — (134 km SSE)
- M3.2 earthquake near San Antonio, Puerto Rico — (135 km SSW)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M5.2 earthquake near Severo-Kuril’sk, Russia —
- M5.2 earthquake near Tsunō, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.9 earthquake near Matsubase, Japan —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near Tristan da Cunha region —
- M5.1 earthquake near south of the Fiji Islands —
- M4.8 earthquake near Te Anau, New Zealand —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 5.1 earthquake?
Moderate earthquakes can damage poorly built or unreinforced structures near the epicentre, while well-engineered buildings typically escape serious harm. Shaking is often strong enough to wake sleeping residents over a wide area. A magnitude 5.1 earthquake radiates roughly 674 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Arecibo?
At 34 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M5.1 earthquake near Arecibo 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 can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
Have there been aftershocks?
7 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 3.6.
How often do earthquakes happen near Arecibo?
89 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.9 event near Punta Cana on 25 February 2025. This M5.1 event released about 16 times less energy than that event.