3.5-Magnitude Earthquake Rattles San José del Cabo, Felt as a 'Subterranean Boom'

SAN JOSÉ DEL CABO, Mexico — A shallow, 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck near this popular tourist destination at 12:48 p.m. today, startling residents with a powerful jolt and a loud, subterranean roar that rippled through the city.

The quake, while relatively low in magnitude, was intensely felt across numerous neighborhoods, from the historic downtown to outlying areas. Social media lit up within seconds as residents tried to describe the unusual event, with many reporting a "boom" or a "deep thunder" that preceded the shaking, causing windows and floors to vibrate.

In neighborhoods including El Zacatal, Vista Hermosa, and the Historic Center, residents described a brief but forceful punch. In other areas, like La Querencia and Loma Encantada, some felt a sudden, sinking sensation, as if the ground dropped for an instant.

The shaking triggered safety protocols across the city. At the Instituto Tecnológico de Los Cabos (ITES), alarms blared and students were evacuated as a precaution. At the Soriana Plaza in Guaymitas, sirens sounded a minute after the quake had already passed, leaving shoppers startled. Inside the Chedraui Selecto and La Mega stores in the Fonatur zone, customers froze as shelves shook for several seconds. Students at the Vista Hermosa secondary school were also evacuated, and classes were temporarily suspended.

The Science Behind the Shake

According to Mexico’s National Seismological Service (SSN), the quake's epicenter was located 6 kilometers southwest of San José del Cabo at a shallow depth of 12.4 kilometers. Jorge Garza, a specialist with the METMEX system, confirmed there was no tsunami risk.

The strong perception of the quake, despite its moderate magnitude, is explained by its shallow nature, experts said. Data from local Raspberry Shake seismometers confirmed it was a local, shallow event. The shaking lasted between two and five seconds, with an estimated intensity of IV to V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale—considered light to moderate—in San José del Cabo, and less in the tourist corridor and Cabo San Lucas.

The widespread reports of a "boom" before the shaking are a known phenomenon in very shallow quakes, often caused by the abrupt rupture of rock near the surface, which releases a pressure wave audible to the human ear just before the seismic waves arrive.

Municipal Civil Protection officials reported no initial damage or injuries but confirmed that monitoring protocols were activated. "The epicenter was located between the vicinity of El Dorado and La Querencia. We continue with seismic surveillance," an official statement read.

An Ongoing Seismic Swarm

Today's tremor is the latest in a seismic swarm that has kept the San José del Cabo region active since 2024. Seismologists have linked the activity to a local branch of the San José del Cabo Fault. The events, they explain, occur at shallow depths (between 3 and 8 miles) and could continue for days or weeks with similar magnitudes.

By mid-afternoon, the noise had returned to the streets, but in coffee shops, WhatsApp groups, and local news portals, the talk of the day remained the same: the thunder that came from underground. A community accustomed to the roar of the sea and the wind was reminded that the earth beneath its feet also holds its own power.