Nicaragua: Magnitude-5.5 earthquake occurs east-southeast of Cardenas at about 16:21 April 17

A magnitude-5.5 earthquake occurred in southwestern Nicaragua at around 16:21 April 17. The epicenter was about 19 km (12 miles) east-southeast of Cardenas. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 150 km (93 miles), and light-to-moderate shaking was reported from Managua, Nicaragua, southward to San Jose in Costa Rica. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.