M 5.5 in Costa Rica on 21 Mar 2023 01:44 UTC

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake Magnitude: 5.5M
Depth: 35 Km
Lat/Lon: 9.3599 , -84.0943
Event Date: 21 Mar 2023 01:44 UTC
20 Mar 2023 19:44 Local
Exposed Population: 40 thousand in MMI V
Source: NEIC us7000jlkb
Inserted at: 21 Mar 2023 02:06 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score
2.7 (Costa Rica)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
  Earthquake
(Shakemap)
GDACS score
NEIC 0 0
us7000jlkb Scaled population (raster) 0  
  C1 shakemap 0  
  C2 shakemap 0  
  Country Vulnerability 0  
  INFORM_normalised 0  
Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

Episode Timeline

IDAlertScoreDateMag, DepthMMI*Population**Tsunami risk***Delay (hh:mm)Source
1496579 0 21 Mar 2023 01:44 5.5M, 35km 3.95 N/A (in MMI>=VII) 00:21 NEIC
The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.
The episode that has the last updated information.
* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in Costa Rica , Province of Puntarenas (population 31,134) . The nearest places are Llorona, Quebrada Azul, Savegre, Sábalo, Finca Negro, Llamoron, Manuel Antonio Finca, Paso, Puerto Quepos, Pasito, and Heredia.

Radius Population
100 km 3.4 million people
75 km 2.7 million people
50 km 260000 people
20 km 29000 people
10 km 4900 people
5 km <1000 people
2 km no people

Affected Provinces

Region Province Country Population
Puntarenas Costa Rica 31000 people
San Jose Costa Rica no people

Affected populated places

Name Region Province Country City class Population Distance
Llorona Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 5 km
Quebrada Azul Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 5 km
Savegre Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 7 km
Sábalo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 7 km
Finca Negro Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 7 km
Llamoron Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 8 km
Manuel Antonio Finca Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 9 km
Paso Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 9 km
Puerto Quepos Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 9 km
Pasito Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 10 km
Guabos Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 10 km
Capital Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 10 km
Finca Managua Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 11 km
Bijagual Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 11 km
Delicias Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 11 km
Paso Los Indios Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 12 km
Santo Domingo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 12 km
Londres Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 12 km
Naranjito Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 13 km
Portalón Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 13 km
Pascua Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 13 km
Paquita Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 14 km
Gallega Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 14 km
Tocori Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 15 km
Matapalo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 15 km
Esquipulas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 15 km
Cotos Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 16 km
Cerritos Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 16 km
Canitas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 17 km
Ríos Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 18 km
Brujo San Jose Costa Rica Village - 18 km
Platanillo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 18 km
Damas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 19 km
San Rafael Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 19 km
Dos Bocas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 20 km
Dos Boscas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 20 km
Palma Quemada Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 20 km
Hatillo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 22 km
San Antonio Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 22 km
Jamaica San José Costa Rica Village - 23 km
San Joaquín San José Costa Rica Village - 24 km
Salitral Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 25 km
Concepcion San José Costa Rica Village - 25 km
Tierras Morenas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 25 km
Guapil Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 25 km
Laguna Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 26 km
Bajo Reyes San José Costa Rica Village - 27 km
Dominical Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Barú Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Savegre San José Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Torito San José Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Guabo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Santa Cecilia San José Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Savegre Abajo San José Costa Rica Village - 29 km
Esperanza San José Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Naranjo San José Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Porvenir Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 30 km
San Jerónimo San José Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Finca Palo Seco Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Parrita Puntarenas Costa Rica Village 3500 people 30 km
Horvenir Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Pueblo Nuevo Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 30 km
Santa Marta San José Costa Rica Village - 31 km
Finca Nicoya Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 31 km
Julieta Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 32 km
Vegas Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 32 km
Santa Juana Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 32 km
San Lorenzo San José Costa Rica Village - 32 km
Carmen San José Costa Rica Village - 32 km
Magnolia San José Costa Rica Village - 32 km
San Rafael Abajo San José Costa Rica Village 27000 people 33 km
Caña Blanca San José Costa Rica Village - 33 km
Sardinal Sur Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 33 km
Providencia San José Costa Rica Village - 33 km
San Marcos San José Costa Rica Village - 33 km
Finca Tigre Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 33 km
Río Nuevo San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
San Antonio San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Higueronal San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Ceiba San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Barucito San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
San Rafael Arriba San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Guadalupe San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Calle Moras San Jose Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Sardinal Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 34 km
Alto el Aguacate San José Costa Rica Village - 34 km
San Luis San Jose Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Surubres Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Montes de Oro San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
San Isidro San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Tinamaste San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Altos Aguacate San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Alfombra San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Carrizales San José Costa Rica Village - 35 km
Ángeles San José Costa Rica Village - 36 km
Rodeo San José Costa Rica Village - 36 km
Santa Rosa San José Costa Rica Village - 36 km
Tumbas San José Costa Rica Village - 36 km
Rosario San Jose Costa Rica Village - 36 km
Playón Puntarenas Costa Rica Village - 36 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name IATA Code Elevation (m) Usage Runway type IFR Runway Length (ft) Distance
Quepos Managua 32 Civ. Paved No 3600 10 km
Tobias Bolanos International SYQ 994 Civ. Paved No 3200 66 km
Juan Santamaria International SJO 921 Civ. Paved Yes 9800 71 km
Nuevo Palmar Sur 5 0 81 km
Palmar Sur PMZ 15 Civ. Paved No 4500 82 km
Buenos Aires BAI 370 Civ. Paved No 3100 86 km

Ports

Name LOCODE Country Distance
Quepos (Puerto Quepos) CRXQP Costa Rica 11 km
Dominical Costa Rica 33 km
Caldera CRCAL Costa Rica 91 km

Dams

Reservoir Dam Name River Year Distance
Cachi Reventazon 1966 62 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.