Felt seismicity in Costa Rica during 2017

Abstract

During 2017, the National Seismological Network (RSN: UCR-ICE) located 2755 earthquakes and reported 216 felt events, including four significant earthquakes with magnitudes Mw between 5.5 and 6.3. The majority (91%) of the felt earthquakes were shallow (< 30 km) and 63 % had low magnitudes (Mw < 3.9). Local and regional faulting caused 62% of the felt earthquakes and the remaining were originated by the subduction of the Cocos plate. The geographic areas with the highest seismicity were located near Jaco and the Irazú and Poas volcanoes. The highest Modified Mercalli intensity observed was VI+ caused by the Jaco (6.3 Mw) earthquake.