Haiti reports 553 earthquakes in 2025, most minor and shallow

The Haiti Ministry of the Environment, alongside the Bureau of Mines and Energy (BME) and the Technical Unit of Seismology (UTS), has released its annual report on seismic activity for 2025. Data for the report was gathered from local monitoring networks, including Ayiti-séismes and UTS, as well as regional networks in Cuba, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.

In total, 553 earthquakes were recorded across the country, marking a 12% decrease from 2024’s 628 events. On average, Haiti experienced 46 earthquakes per month, with May and August being the most active months at 60 earthquakes each.

Magnitudes ranged from 0.2 to 4.2, with the vast majority (503, or 90.9%) measuring 3 or below, classified as very minor. Minor to slight earthquakes (magnitude 3.1 to 4.2) accounted for 50 events. The strongest quake, a magnitude 4.2, occurred off the coast of Jean Rabel on August 23.

Approximately 206 earthquakes (37%) occurred offshore, particularly near the Northwest Peninsula. Nearly half of all quakes (263, or 47.5%) were shallow, with depths of 10 km or less, making them more noticeable at the surface.

Seismic activity was unevenly distributed across the country’s ten departments. The West recorded the highest number with 138 earthquakes, followed by Nippes (115) and Northwest (102), collectively accounting for 64% of annual activity. In contrast, the Center, North, and Northeast departments were the least affected, registering just 31 quakes combined, or 5.6% of the total.

The report highlights that while most seismic events in 2025 were minor, the concentration of shallow and offshore quakes underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring to safeguard communities and infrastructure.