Panama earthquakes

M5.2 earthquake 285 km SW of Arenas, Panama

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 285 km SW of Arenas, Panama on Mon, Jan 1, 1973, 10:47 PM EST (03:47 UTC), 30 km (19 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.3 223 km SSW of Río Grande, Panama. This one was a foreshock.

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Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude
5.2 (mb), moderate
Local time
UTC
1973-01-02 03:47:52 UTC
Depth
30.0 km (18.6 mi), shallow
Epicenter
5.404° N, 82.541° W
Region
Panama
Tsunami flag
No
Status
Reviewed by a seismologist

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Stations used
40

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.2 and up: 1 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.

After

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp000000c. Read Mon, Sep 21, 2026, 2:31 AM UTC.