Reviewed by USGSPeru16d ago
M5.3 earthquake 123 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru
Thursday, September 10, 2026, 06:42:40 UTC · 3.900°S, 77.466°W
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 123 km WSW of Alianza Cristiana, Peru on Thursday, September 10, 2026, 06:42:40 UTC, at a depth of 10.0 km (shallow). USGS received 1 “Did You Feel It?” report, with a maximum reported intensity of III (weak). It is the strongest earthquake within 300 km since an M5.5 on January 8, 2026.
- Magnitude
- 5.3
- Moderate · mww
- Depth
- 10 km
- Shallow
- Felt reports
- 1
- Max intensity III
- Est. shaking
- —
- No ShakeMap
- PAGER alert
- None
- Not issued
- Tsunami
- No flag
- USGS feed
Outlined circle: this earthquakeDashed circle: 75 km aftershock search area
In context
How big was it, and why here?
Energy released
1 kilotons of TNT
That is about 1/11 of the Hiroshima bomb. It released about 3 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0.
Tectonic setting
265 km
from the nearest mapped plate boundary, between the North Andes and South American plates. Earthquakes this far from a boundary happen on faults inside a plate, often less frequently but sometimes strongly.
Depth: shallow
10 km
Shallow earthquakes (under 70 km) produce the strongest surface shaking for their size, so they are the ones most likely to cause damage near the epicenter.
Did You Feel It?
Where it was felt
Reports sent by people to USGS, grouped by place (most reports first). Intensity uses the Modified Mercalli scale (I–X): what people felt, not the magnitude.
| Place | Intensity | Reports | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macas, Morona Santiago, Ecuador | III · Weak | 1 | 190 km |
USGS PAGER estimate
Who was exposed to shaking
USGS publishes PAGER impact estimates for significant earthquakes, usually within an hour. No PAGER estimate is available for this event.
After the main event
Aftershocks within 75 km
USGS lists 3 M2.5+ earthquakes within 75 km since this event; the largest was M4.9 on September 19, 2026. Most nearby activity right after a large earthquake is aftershocks, which usually become less frequent over days and weeks.
Regional history
Past M5+ earthquakes within 300 km
USGS lists 298 M5.0+ earthquakes within 300 km before this one (catalog from 1900; older records are less complete). The strongest:
- 7.543 km NNW of Barranca, PeruNovember 28, 2021 · 96 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.516 km W of Barranca, PeruSeptember 28, 1906 · 124 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.539 km NW of Yurimaguas, PeruSeptember 26, 2005 · 230 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.5115 km ESE of Palora, EcuadorFebruary 22, 2019 · 196 km N of this epicenter
- 7.498 km ESE of Sucúa, EcuadorJuly 27, 1971 · 117 km N of this epicenter
- 7.323 km N of Bellavista, PeruMay 14, 1928 · 217 km SW of this epicenter
- 7.251 km N of Barranca, PeruOctober 28, 1997 · 101 km SE of this epicenter
- 7.1EcuadorAugust 12, 2010 · 293 km N of this epicenter
History · NOAA
Deadliest earthquakes in this area
NOAA’s significant-earthquake database lists 24 damaging, deadly or tsunami-generating earthquakes within 300 km of this epicenter since 1700, which together caused about 40,373 recorded deaths. The most severe:
- 1797M8.3
Riobamba, Quito, Cuzco; Peru; Colombia
4 Feb 1797 · 285 km away · intensity XI
40,000 deathsExtreme damage ($25M+)tsunami
- 1990M6.5
Moyabamba-Riojo
30 May 1990 · 237 km away · intensity VI
200 deaths$1 million damage
- 1991M6.7
Rioja, Moyobamba, Nueva Cajamarca
5 Apr 1991 · 235 km away · intensity VII
53 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 1924M6.9
Ecuador
3 Mar 1924 · 285 km away
40 deathsLimited damage (under $1M)
- 1928M7.3
Chacahpoyas,Huancabamba,Cajamarca,Pinpincos
14 May 1928 · 216 km away · intensity X
29 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
- 2023M6.8
Azuay, El Oro, Guayas; Peru: Tumbes
18 Mar 2023 · 289 km away · intensity IX
15 deathsSevere damage ($5–24M)
NOAA NCEI Global Significant Earthquake Database. Historical figures are estimates; older records are incomplete.