M 5.5 in Nicaragua on 26 Mar 2026 17:15 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: 155.7 Km
Lat/Lon: 12.1114 , -86.3881
Event Date: 26 Mar 2026 17:15 UTC
26 Mar 2026 11:15 Local
Exposed Population: 510 thousand in MMI IV
Source: NEIC us7000s7w6
Inserted at: 26 Mar 2026 17:33 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score
5.3 (Nicaragua)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.
  Earthquake
(Shakemap)
GDACS score
NEIC 0 0
us7000s7w6 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

IDLevelScoreDateMag, DepthMMI*Population**Tsunami risk***Delay (hh:mm)Source
1695390 0 26 Mar 2026 17:15 5.5M, 155.7km 3.77 N/A (in MMI>=VII) 00:17 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 Nicaragua , Department of Managua (population 1,527,725) . The nearest places are Santa Ana, Santa Luisa, Bella Cruz, Los Ranchos, El Rosal, Brasiles, Corinto, Mazatlán, El Canal, Ingenio Santa Rita, and Calabazas.

Radius Population
100 km 3.7 million people
75 km 3 million people
50 km 2.5 million people
20 km 1.3 million people
10 km 300000 people
5 km 18000 people
2 km 1100 people

Affected Provinces

Region Province Country Population
Managua Nicaragua 1.5 million people
Leon Nicaragua 3400 people
Masaya Nicaragua 41000 people
Carazo Nicaragua 1200 people

Affected populated places

Name Region Province Country City class Population Distance
Santa Ana Managua Nicaragua Village - 3 km
Santa Luisa Managua Nicaragua Village - 6 km
Bella Cruz Managua Nicaragua Village - 7 km
Los Ranchos Managua Nicaragua Village - 7 km
El Rosal Managua Nicaragua Village - 8 km
Brasiles Managua Nicaragua Village - 9 km
Corinto Managua Nicaragua Village - 10 km
Mazatlán Managua Nicaragua Village - 12 km
El Canal Managua Nicaragua Village - 12 km
Ingenio Santa Rita Managua Nicaragua Village - 13 km
Managua Managua Nicaragua Capital 970000 people 13 km
La Aurora Managua Nicaragua Village - 14 km
Los Cedros Managua Nicaragua Village - 14 km
Nandayosi León Nicaragua Village - 14 km
Mateare Managua Nicaragua Village 21000 people 14 km
San Isidro Managua Nicaragua Village - 15 km
Caserío San Miguelito León Nicaragua Village - 16 km
El Panorama Managua Nicaragua Village - 18 km
El Guapinolar Managua Nicaragua Village - 18 km
La Concepcion Managua Nicaragua Village 11000 people 18 km
Corpus Cristi Managua Nicaragua Village - 19 km
Carlos Fonseca Amador Managua Nicaragua Village - 19 km
El Tamagás Managua Nicaragua Village - 20 km
Santa Rita de Plata Managua Nicaragua Village - 20 km
San Rafaelito Managua Nicaragua Village - 21 km
San Lorenzo León Nicaragua Village - 22 km
Valle Gottel Managua Nicaragua Village - 23 km
Ticuantepe Managua Nicaragua Village 13000 people 23 km
Los Larios León Nicaragua Village - 23 km
Las Mercedes Managua Nicaragua Village - 24 km
Santa Teresa Managua Nicaragua Village 5700 people 24 km
La Barranca Carazo Nicaragua Village - 24 km
Nagarote León Nicaragua Village 26000 people 26 km
El Golfo Managua Nicaragua Village - 26 km
El Costillo Managua Nicaragua Village - 26 km
Santa Cruz Managua Nicaragua Village - 26 km
San Cristóbal Managua Nicaragua Village - 27 km
San Bartolo Managua Nicaragua Village - 27 km
El Guayabal León Nicaragua Village - 28 km
Cofradía Managua Nicaragua Village - 29 km
Ceiba Mocha León Nicaragua Village - 29 km
San Rafael Managua Nicaragua Village - 30 km
San Clemente León Nicaragua Village - 31 km
Nindirí Masaya Nicaragua Village 9700 people 31 km
El Porvenir Carazo Nicaragua Village - 31 km
Altos Masaya Nicaragua Village - 31 km
Salamina Managua Nicaragua Village - 32 km
San Ramón Managua Nicaragua Village - 32 km
Los Gutiérrez Carazo Nicaragua Village - 32 km
Momotombito León Nicaragua Village - 32 km
Diriamba Carazo Nicaragua City 34000 people 33 km
El Zapote Managua Nicaragua Village - 33 km
San Juan Managua Nicaragua Village - 33 km
El Tamarindo Managua Nicaragua Village - 33 km
Tipitapa Managua Nicaragua City 130000 people 33 km
El Tinco León Nicaragua Village - 34 km
El Socorro Managua Nicaragua Village - 34 km
Zambrana Managua Nicaragua Village - 34 km
San Gabriel León Nicaragua Village - 34 km
El Cardón León Nicaragua Village - 34 km
El Tránsito León Nicaragua Village - 35 km
Masatepe Masaya Nicaragua City 21000 people 35 km
El Amparo León Nicaragua Village - 35 km
El Rosario Carazo Nicaragua Village 3000 people 36 km
Masaya Masaya Nicaragua City 130000 people 36 km
Jinotepe Carazo Nicaragua Village 29000 people 36 km
Idelfonso Managua Nicaragua Village - 37 km
La Bocana Managua Nicaragua Village - 37 km
El Socorro León Nicaragua Village - 38 km
San Antonio Managua Nicaragua Village - 38 km
Apompuá Carazo Nicaragua Village - 38 km
Venecia León Nicaragua Village - 38 km
El Tamarindo León Nicaragua Village - 38 km
El Crucero Carazo Nicaragua Village 16000 people 39 km
Masachapa Managua Nicaragua Village - 39 km
San José León Nicaragua Village - 39 km
Catarina Masaya Nicaragua Village 2300 people 40 km
Santa Elisa Managua Nicaragua Village - 40 km
La Paz León Nicaragua Village - 40 km
Momotombi León Nicaragua Village - 40 km
Loma Alegre Carazo Nicaragua Village - 41 km
El Picacho Masaya Nicaragua Village - 41 km
Tisma Masaya Nicaragua Village 5100 people 41 km
Puerto Somoza León Nicaragua Village - 42 km
Río Grande León Nicaragua Village - 42 km
La Pita Carazo Nicaragua Village - 42 km
Las Marías Carazo Nicaragua Village - 43 km
El Empalme Managua Nicaragua Village - 43 km
Las Peraltas León Nicaragua Village - 43 km
Pacora Managua Nicaragua Village - 43 km
Huiste Carazo Nicaragua Village - 44 km
Amayito Carazo Nicaragua Village - 44 km
San Francisco Libre Managua Nicaragua Village - 44 km
Santa Clara Masaya Nicaragua Village - 45 km
Vigías León Nicaragua Village - 45 km
Diriá Masaya Nicaragua Village - 45 km
Obraje León Nicaragua Village - 46 km
El Parai León Nicaragua Village - 46 km
San Antonio Carazo Nicaragua Village - 46 km
El Tempate León Nicaragua Village - 46 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
Los Brasiles 80 Civ. Paved No 3200 9 km
Augusto Cesar Sandino International MGA 59 Civ. Paved Yes 8000 24 km
Punta Huete 66 0 35 km
Montelimar 30 0 37 km
Fanor Urroz 100 0 66 km

Ports

Name LOCODE Country Distance
Puerto Masachapa Nicaragua 38 km
Puerto Sandino NIPSN Nicaragua 42 km
Corinto NICIO Nicaragua 95 km

More information

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