September 2, 1992 Earthquake: Masachapa, Costa Rica, Nicaragua
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Masachapa, Costa Rica, Nicaragua on September 2, 1992 at 00:16:03 UTC, 30 km below the surface. It killed 170 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- September 2, 1992
- Time
- 00:16:03 UTC
- Place
- Masachapa, Costa Rica, Nicaragua
- Magnitude
- 7.6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 30 km (19 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 11.500° N, 87.609° W
- Country
- Nicaragua
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50); 170 with its tsunami and other effects
- Injuries
- 489 with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- $30 million with its tsunami and other effects
- Houses destroyed
- 1,500 with its tsunami and other effects
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1992, Sept 2. At least 116 people killed, more than 68 missing and over 13,500 left homeless in Nicaragua. At least 1,300 houses and 185 fishing boats were destroyed along the west coast of Nicaragua. Total damage in Nicaragua is estimated at between 20 and 30 million U.S. dollars. Some damage was also reported in Costa Rica. Most of the casualties and damage were caused by a tsunami affecting the west coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, reaching heights of up to 8 meters. (reference #1053)
1992, Sept 2. 179 deaths, $25 million damage. (reference #1250)
1992, Sept 2, 00:16:02.75 UTC. 11.727 N, 87.386 W, 39.9 km. 7.7 Ms HRV, 7.2 Ms ISC, 7.2 Ms NEIC, 7.4 Ms BRK, 5.4 mb ISC, 5.3 mb NEIC. (reference #9910)
1992, Sept 2, 00:16:03.34 UTC. 11.5 N, 87.609 W, 30 km. 7.63 Mw. (reference #10476, version 9)
Photos
From the NCEI/WDS Natural Hazards Image Database (doi:10.7289/V5154F01). Only photos by the USGS and NOAA, which are public domain, are shown.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 23, 1972, Managua, Nicaragua
- May 6, 1951, Jucuapa, El Salvador
- March 31, 1930, Managua, Nicaragua
- July 6, 2000, Masaya, Nicaragua
- May 21, 1932, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua
- April 10, 2014, Nagarote, Managua, Nicaragua
- October 14, 2014, Gulf of Fonseca, El Salvador
- September 28, 2016, Leon, Nicaragua
- May 21, 1933, San Salvador, El Salvador
- April 25, 1938, Leon,chinandega, Nicaragua
- May 9, 1963, Leon, Nicaragua
- February 20, 1940, Corinto,chinandega, Nicaragua
- October 24, 1956, Off Coast, Nicaragua
- May 6, 1938, Leon (Telica Volcano Destroyed), Nicaragua
- June 29, 1919, Gulf of Fonseca, Nicaragua
More
Significant earthquakes of 1992The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1992Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5335.