M6.3 Earthquake near Esmeraldas, Ecuador — 25 April 2025
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.3 was recorded near Esmeraldas, Ecuador on , with an epicentre 20 km northeast of Esmeraldas, at a focal depth of 35.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-04-25 11:44:55
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.3 (strong)
Focal depth: 35.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: 1.1049, -79.5345
Location: 20 km NE of Esmeraldas, Ecuador
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 6.3 earthquake radiates roughly 42,502 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 678, 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.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 1.1049, -79.5345 — 20 km northeast of Esmeraldas. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.6 earthquake 20 km south-southwest of here on 08 July 2025.
Why the 35 km depth matters
At 35 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. 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 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 M6.3 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.
20 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.5 event near Archidona on 31 January 2025. This M6.3 event released about 16 times more 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 April 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.6 earthquake near Esmeraldas, Ecuador — (20 km SSW)
- M4.4 earthquake near Rosa Zarate, Ecuador — (72 km SSE)
- M4.4 earthquake near Muisne, Ecuador — (85 km SW)
- M4.0 earthquake near Muisne, Ecuador — (109 km SW)
- M4.9 earthquake near Esmeraldas, Ecuador — (125 km NNW)
- M5.2 earthquake near Cotacachi, Ecuador — (160 km ESE)
- M4.8 earthquake near Salahonda, Colombia — (160 km N)
- M4.3 earthquake near Salahonda, Colombia — (167 km NNW)
- M4.2 earthquake near Pedernales, Ecuador — (167 km SW)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M6.0 earthquake near Sola, Vanuatu —
- M6.0 earthquake near Puerto Madero, Mexico —
- M6.2 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.3 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.5 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region —
- M6.1 earthquake near Hirara, Japan —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.3 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 6.3 earthquake radiates roughly 42,502 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Esmeraldas?
At 35 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 M6.3 earthquake near Esmeraldas 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 produce strong, widely felt shaking. 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 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 M6.3 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 Esmeraldas?
20 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.5 event near Archidona on 31 January 2025. This M6.3 event released about 16 times more energy than that event.