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M6.2 Earthquake near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, Mexico — 12 January 2025

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.2 was recorded near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, Mexico on , with an epicentre 8 km southeast of Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, at a focal depth of 86.2 km. It was the strongest of the 37 earthquakes recorded in Mexico in the preceding 30 days.

6.2 Strong

Time (UTC): 2025-01-12 08:32:55

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 6.2 (strong)

Focal depth: 86.2 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: 18.7264, -103.1000

Location: 8 km SE of Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares, Mexico

Country: Mexico

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 607, which meets 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.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 01:40 local solar time at the epicentre, in the early hours of the morning.

This event was deeper than 97% of the 1,035 earthquakes recorded in Mexico in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at 18.7264, -103.1000 — 8 km southeast of Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.9 earthquake 5 km east of here on 12 January 2025.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Aguililla (45 km east-southeast), Aquila (65 km southwest), El Habillal (85 km south) and Cuyutlán (102 km west).

Why the 86 km depth matters

At 86 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

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 M6.2 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

2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.9.

10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.9 event near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares on 12 January 2025. This M6.2 event released about 89 times more energy than that event.

1 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 0 of them in the past 30 days.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the January 2025 worldwide record, and of earthquakes in Mexico during January 2025. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in Mexico

All recorded earthquakes in Mexico →

Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 6 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares?

It measured magnitude 6.2 — a strong earthquake. A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares?

The focus was 86 km below the surface, which counts as intermediate.

Was the Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 6.2 and a focal depth of 86 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares happen?

12 January 2025 at 08:32 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

Have there been aftershocks?

2 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 4.9.

How often do earthquakes happen near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares?

10 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 4.9 event near Coalcomán de Vázquez Pallares on 12 January 2025. This M6.2 event released about 89 times more energy than that event.