Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake Shakes Nicaragua in Central America

The Nicaragua earthquake comes amid a week of increased global seismic activity.

Published: 6/26/2026, 5:37:07 PM EDT

Magnitude 5.2 Earthquake Shakes Nicaragua in Central America — A map shows the location of a magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck near Villa El Carmen, Nicaragua, early Friday, marking the epicenter southwest of Managua. (U.S. Geological Survey)

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck central Nicaragua in Central America early Friday, shaking communities near the capital, Managua, and sending light tremors across a wide area, according to data from seismic monitoring agencies.

The quake hit at 5:57 a.m. local time near Villa El Carmen in the Managua region, about 16 miles southwest of the capital, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It occurred at a depth of about 120 kilometers (75 miles).

Residents in nearby towns, including Ciudad Sandino, Mateare, and parts of Managua, reported shaking that lasted only a few seconds. There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage in the hours after the quake.

Seismologists said the quake's depth helped limit its surface impact. Early assessments from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) described the shaking as light to moderate in populated areas closest to the epicenter.

The earthquake was first detected and reported within minutes by international monitoring systems, including the USGS and EMSC. Both systems located the epicenter in the Managua department of western Nicaragua.

Nicaragua sits in a seismically active zone and is bordered by tectonic plates beneath Central America.

Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, with a population of about 970,000, is the nearest major city to the epicenter, located about 16 miles (25 kilometers) northeast.

According to Volcano Discovery, residents there likely experienced weak shaking. Several smaller towns and villages even closer to the epicenter may have felt stronger tremors. In San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, about 217 miles (349 kilometers) from the epicenter, the earthquake was probably felt as very weak shaking.

Nicaragua is among the most earthquake-prone countries in Central America. According to the USGS, Nicaragua sits along the Middle America Trench, where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the Caribbean Plate. This tectonic activity produces frequent earthquakes and fuels a chain of active volcanoes across the country.

The Nicaragua earthquake comes amid a week of increased global seismic activity. Strong earthquakes have also been reported in parts of the Caribbean and Asia this month, including the Philippines in early June, and Venezuela, Japan, the Dominican Republic, and Northern California this past week.

In the Dominican Republic, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck about 45 miles northeast of Punta Cana shortly after noon on Friday, according to the USGS.

The deadliest earthquake this week struck Venezuela on Wednesday, where twin magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes hit 39 seconds apart, killing at least 920 people, injuring more than 3,300. Thousands remain missing as rescuers continue searching for survivors.