M5.1 earthquake — 2 km ESE of La Mesa, Panama
A moderate magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred 2 km ESE of La Mesa, Panama on Oct 9, 2026 at 18:16 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 10 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M5.1 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 10.0 km |
| Coordinates | 7.652, -80.602 |
| Time | Oct 9, 18:16 UTC |
| Location | 2 km ESE of La Mesa, Panama |
| USGS event ID | us6000u2t1 |
What this magnitude typically means
Moderate earthquakes are widely felt and can cause light damage close to the epicenter. The shaking you actually experience depends on how far away you are and what kind of ground you are on. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.7 | 8 km | Oct 13, 02:48 UTC | 9 km SSE of La Mesa, Panama |
| M4.7 | 10 km | Oct 14, 05:09 UTC | 10 km S of La Mesa, Panama |
| M4.3 | 29 km | Oct 17, 16:24 UTC | 3 km NE of Flores, Panama |
| M4.5 | 30 km | Oct 12, 13:17 UTC | 6 km W of Tonosí, Panama |
| M4.6 | 37 km | Oct 16, 22:41 UTC | 12 km SSE of Tebario, Panama |
| M4.4 | 38 km | Oct 16, 01:50 UTC | 12 km SSE of Tebario, Panama |
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.