M5.1 Earthquake near El Carmen, Mexico — 26 March 2026
A moderate earthquake of magnitude 5.1 was recorded near El Carmen, Mexico on , with an epicentre 5 km west-southwest of El Carmen, at a focal depth of 112.3 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-03-26 11:07:00
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 5.1 (moderate)
Focal depth: 112.3 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: 15.5516, -93.1759
Location: 5 km WSW of El Carmen, Mexico
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
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 400, 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 15.5516, -93.1759 — 5 km west-southwest of El Carmen. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.3 earthquake 56 km south-southeast of here on 31 July 2026.
Why the 112 km depth matters
At 112 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 can be felt widely and may cause minor local damage. 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 M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 112 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; 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.
206 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 M5.1 event released about 2,818 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 March 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.3 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico — (56 km SSE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Aquiles Serdán, Mexico — (99 km S)
- M4.5 earthquake near Aquiles Serdán, Mexico — (103 km S)
- M5.2 earthquake near El Arenal, Mexico — (106 km S)
- M4.4 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (110 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (113 km S)
- M4.5 earthquake near La Esperanza (El Zapotal), Mexico — (114 km SSW)
- M4.7 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (120 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (120 km SSE)
- M4.3 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico — (121 km SSE)
Other magnitude 5 earthquakes worldwide
- M4.9 earthquake near Atka, Alaska —
- 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 —
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 El Carmen?
At 112 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 M5.1 earthquake near El Carmen 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 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 M5.1 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; its 112 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; 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 El Carmen?
206 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 M5.1 event released about 2,818 times less energy than that event.