Trinidad and Tobago Earthquakes – Current Map & Latest Quakes

No M1.5+ Trinidad and Tobago earthquakes have been recorded in the past 24 hours.

Trinidad and Tobago may not get the same earthquake attention as places like Haiti, Puerto Rico, or the wider Caribbean earthquake region, but it still sits in an active seismic setting. Earthquakes can happen near Trinidad, near Tobago, offshore in the Gulf of Paria, north of the islands, or across the nearby Venezuela margin.

This page tracks the latest available Trinidad and Tobago earthquake activity using USGS-based earthquake data. The map, recent earthquake list, statistics, and significant quake information update when the page loads or refreshes. You can also compare local activity with the latest available worldwide earthquake list.

Trinidad and Tobago Earthquake Map

Each marker on the map represents an earthquake location. Click one to see its magnitude, location, time, and depth. Use the time filter buttons to view earthquakes from the last hour, 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days.

Trinidad and Tobago earthquakes (map loads with JavaScript)

About Trinidad and Tobago Earthquakes

Trinidad and Tobago sits close to the southern edge of the Caribbean Plate, near the complex boundary with the South American Plate. This part of the Caribbean is not a simple single fault line. It includes offshore faults, folded and compressed crust, nearby Venezuelan fault systems, and the southern end of the Eastern Caribbean island-arc setting. Source: USGS Caribbean Tsunami and Earthquake Hazards Studies.

That means earthquakes felt in Trinidad and Tobago do not always start directly under the islands. Some are local. Some happen offshore. Others come from northeastern Venezuela, Grenada, the southern Lesser Antilles, or deeper regional structures. This is why a noticeable earthquake in Trinidad or Tobago may show a location outside the country on the map.

Tobago also has its own earthquake story. It lies farther northeast than Trinidad and is closer to the southern Eastern Caribbean island-arc system. Trinidad, meanwhile, is closer to the Gulf of Paria and northeastern Venezuela. So even though the two islands are part of the same country, they do not always experience earthquake activity in exactly the same way.

Why Trinidad and Tobago Has Earthquakes

The easiest way to understand Trinidad and Tobago earthquakes is to look at the country’s position. It sits near the meeting area between the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate. This is why earthquakes felt in Trinidad or Tobago do not always start directly beneath the islands. Some happen offshore, some come from the nearby Venezuela margin, and others are linked to the wider southern Caribbean earthquake region.

Trinidad is especially close to northeastern Venezuela and the Gulf of Paria, so earthquakes on the Venezuela side of the plate boundary can be felt clearly in places such as Port of Spain, Chaguanas, San Fernando, Point Fortin, and nearby communities. Tobago sits farther northeast and is closer to the southern Lesser Antilles, so it can also be affected by offshore and island-arc earthquakes near Grenada and the eastern Caribbean.

Local ground conditions also matter. Soft ground, coastal plains, reclaimed land, river valleys, hillsides, and older buildings can change how strongly an earthquake is felt from one place to another. This is one reason Trinidad and Tobago has been studied through a seismic microzonation project, which looks at how towns and cities may respond to earthquake shaking. Source: UWI-SRC Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project

Main Earthquake Areas Around Trinidad and Tobago

Earthquakes that matter for Trinidad and Tobago can come from several nearby areas. Some are close to the islands, while others are regional events that are still strong enough to be felt locally.

• Northwest Trinidad and the Gulf of Paria: Port of Spain, Diego Martin, Chaguaramas, Chaguanas, and nearby areas can feel earthquakes from local sources, the Gulf of Paria, or northeastern Venezuela.
• South and southwest Trinidad: San Fernando, Point Fortin, Penal, Siparia, and coastal communities may feel earthquakes from the Gulf of Paria, the Venezuela margin, or local faulting. This area also has important energy, port, and industrial infrastructure.
• East Trinidad: Arima, Sangre Grande, Toco, Mayaro, and surrounding areas may feel local earthquakes, Tobago-area events, or deeper regional earthquakes.
• Tobago: Scarborough, Crown Point, Buccoo, Plymouth, Roxborough, and other Tobago communities can be affected by nearby offshore earthquakes, southern Lesser Antilles activity, or wider Caribbean events.
• Northeastern Venezuela: Large earthquakes near Venezuela can be felt clearly in Trinidad and Tobago. The June 24, 2026 northern Venezuela earthquake doublet is the most recent major example of why this nearby margin matters for Trinidad and Tobago.
• Southern Lesser Antilles: Earthquakes near Grenada and the southern island arc can also matter for Tobago and the wider southern Caribbean. The UWI-SRC earthquake monitoring page explains how regional stations across the Eastern Caribbean are used to locate earthquakes. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring

The Main Types of Trinidad and Tobago Earthquakes

Not every earthquake near Trinidad and Tobago has the same cause. Most events can be understood as local crustal earthquakes, regional plate-boundary earthquakes, or offshore and deeper earthquakes.

Local Shallow Earthquakes

Local shallow earthquakes happen close to the surface beneath or near the islands. These events may not be the largest on a regional map, but they can still feel sharp if they happen close to where people live.

This is one reason local ground conditions matter. The Trinidad and Tobago Microzonation Project was set up to develop detailed seismic microzonation maps for 10 towns and cities across the country, using geological and geophysical fieldwork. These maps are meant to help planners understand urban earthquake hazard in more detail. Source: UWI-SRC Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project

Regional Plate-Boundary Earthquakes

Some earthquakes felt in Trinidad and Tobago start outside the country, especially near northeastern Venezuela. These can be felt over a wide area because of their size, depth, or distance from major population centres.

The August 21, 2018 M7.3 Venezuela earthquake is the clearest recent example. It happened near the northeastern Venezuela margin and was felt across Trinidad and Tobago. Source: USGS event page: 2018 Venezuela M7.3 earthquake

Offshore and Deeper Earthquakes

Other earthquakes happen offshore or deeper underground. Offshore earthquakes may be felt on land even when the epicentre is at sea. Deeper earthquakes can sometimes be felt across a wider area, but the shaking may feel different from a shallow local event.

This is why earthquake depth matters. UWI-SRC’s earthquake monitoring page explains that when multiple seismic stations record the same earthquake, scientists can calculate the event’s location, magnitude, depth, and time from the recordings. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring

Earthquake Hazards in Trinidad and Tobago

The main earthquake hazard is ground shaking, but the impact of that shaking depends on where the earthquake happens and what it shakes. A moderate earthquake close to a town may matter more locally than a larger event far offshore.

• Ground shaking: Strong shaking can damage buildings, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, utilities, ports, and industrial facilities.
• Soft soils: Some coastal plains, reclaimed areas, river valleys, and low-lying urban areas may shake differently from firmer ground. This is one reason microzonation studies are useful for towns and cities. Source: UWI-SRC Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project
• Landslides: Steep slopes in Trinidad and Tobago can become unstable during strong shaking, especially after heavy rainfall or where ground has already been weakened.
• Liquefaction: Loose, water-saturated ground can lose strength during shaking. This can affect waterfronts, reclaimed land, river mouths, port areas, and low-lying coastal zones.
• Infrastructure disruption: Trinidad and Tobago depends on roads, ports, airports, energy infrastructure, water systems, telecommunications, and bridges. Damage in one area can affect travel, services, and recovery elsewhere.
• Aftershocks: Larger earthquakes can be followed by smaller earthquakes. UWI-SRC’s measuring earthquakes page explains the difference between magnitude and intensity, which helps explain why an aftershock may feel stronger in one location than another. Source: UWI-SRC Measuring Earthquakes

Trinidad and Tobago Earthquakes and Tsunami Awareness

Tsunami risk in Trinidad and Tobago is not the same as in parts of the northeastern Caribbean, where major historical tsunamis have affected Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Virgin Islands. Still, tsunami awareness matters because Trinidad and Tobago has low-lying coastal communities, beaches, ports, ferries, marinas, hotels, and energy infrastructure close to the sea.

UWI-SRC’s Caribbean tsunami page explains that tsunamis in the region can be caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and distant tsunami sources. Its tsunami preparedness guidance also explains that natural warning signs can include strong shaking, long shaking, the sea pulling back unusually, or a loud roar from the ocean. Sources: UWI-SRC Caribbean Tsunamis and UWI-SRC Tsunami Preparedness

If you are near the coast and feel strong or long shaking, move inland or to higher ground after the shaking stops. NOAA’s tsunami safety guidance gives the same basic message: know what to do before, during, and after a tsunami. Source: NOAA/National Weather Service Tsunami Safety

Historical and Recent Earthquakes Affecting Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago has felt both local earthquakes and larger regional earthquakes. Some older events are harder to pin down because they happened before modern instruments, but they are still useful for understanding the country’s earthquake history.

• 1766 southeastern Caribbean earthquake: This major historical earthquake affected Trinidad and nearby parts of Venezuela. A Journal of Seismology study describes the October 21, 1766 event as one of the important historical earthquakes in the southeastern Caribbean. Source: Journal of Seismology
• 1982 southern Tobago earthquake activity: Southern Tobago was the focus of a notable earthquake hazard alert in September 1982, later discussed in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. This event is one reason Tobago-area seismicity remains important in local hazard discussions. Source: Harvard.edu
• 1997 Tobago region earthquakes: Tobago and nearby offshore areas experienced significant earthquake activity in 1997. These events remain useful examples of why Tobago should not be treated as an afterthought in Trinidad and Tobago earthquake planning.
• 2018 Venezuela earthquake, M7.3: On August 21, 2018, a M7.3 earthquake near northeastern Venezuela was felt across Trinidad and Tobago. It is one of the clearest recent reminders that earthquakes outside the country can still affect both islands. Source: USGS event page: 2018 Venezuela M7.3 earthquake
• Recent local and regional earthquakes: Smaller earthquakes continue to be recorded across the Eastern Caribbean and nearby offshore zones. UWI-SRC posts recent regional earthquake information and explains how its station network is used to locate events. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring
• 2026 northern Venezuela earthquake doublet: On June 24, 2026, two major earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other, with reported magnitudes of M7.2 and M7.5. This event is important for Trinidad and Tobago because northern Venezuela sits on the same broad Caribbean-South America plate-boundary system that affects the southern Caribbean. It is a recent reminder that large Venezuela earthquakes can matter for Trinidad and Tobago even when the epicentre is outside the country. Sources: Reuters summary of USGS-reported event details

Why Some Earthquakes Feel Stronger Than Others

People often ask why one earthquake feels strong in one town but weaker somewhere else. The answer usually comes down to four things: magnitude, depth, distance, and ground conditions.

Magnitude describes the size of the earthquake itself. Intensity describes how strongly it is felt at a particular place. UWI-SRC explains that magnitude is fixed for an earthquake, but intensity can vary depending on where you are in relation to the epicentre and how local conditions affect shaking. Source: UWI-SRC Measuring Earthquakes

That means a smaller earthquake close to Tobago or Trinidad may feel sharper than a larger event far away. It also means soft ground, reclaimed land, hillsides, older buildings, and local geology can make a big difference.

Overall, earthquake risk in Trinidad and Tobago is not only about the number on the map. Location, depth, distance, ground conditions, and building strength all matter.

Earthquake Preparedness in Trinidad and Tobago

Earthquake preparedness in Trinidad and Tobago should be practical. You do not need to live in fear, but you should know what to do before shaking starts, especially if you live near the coast, on a hillside, in an older building, or near important infrastructure.

Trinidad and Tobago Earthquake Safety Checklist

• Know “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” for earthquake shaking. Source: Great ShakeOut earthquake safety guidance
• Secure heavy furniture, shelves, mirrors, appliances, water tanks, and objects that could fall.
• Keep water, food, medication, flashlights, batteries, a first-aid kit, and copies of important documents.
• Know safe spots inside your home, school, or workplace, away from windows and heavy items.
• If you are indoors during shaking, stay indoors, drop, cover, and hold on. UWI-SRC advises people not to run outside during shaking. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Preparedness
• If you are outside, move away from buildings, glass, electricity poles, bridges, and anything that could fall.
• After shaking stops, check for injuries, damaged utilities, fire hazards, unstable buildings, and aftershocks.
• If you are near the coast and feel strong or long shaking, move inland or to higher ground after the shaking stops. Sources: UWI-SRC Tsunami Preparedness and NOAA/NWS Tsunami Safety
• Have an out-of-area emergency contact and a family communication plan.
• Check official updates after a noticeable earthquake, especially if phones, power, roads, or coastal areas are affected.

How Trinidad and Tobago Earthquakes Are Monitored

Earthquakes in Trinidad and Tobago are monitored as part of the wider Eastern Caribbean seismic network. UWI-SRC’s earthquake monitoring page explains that it operates more than 60 seismic stations across the Eastern Caribbean and has access to data from other regional agencies. Multiple stations are used to calculate an earthquake’s location, magnitude, depth, and time. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring

For Trinidad and Tobago specifically, the Microzonation Project is important because it looks beyond the epicentre and asks a practical question: how might different towns and cities shake during future earthquakes? The project includes fieldwork and maps that can help planners understand local ground behaviour and urban earthquake vulnerability. Source: UWI-SRC Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project

• UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring: Explains how the regional seismic station network records and locates earthquakes. Source: UWI-SRC Earthquake Monitoring
• Trinidad and Tobago Microzonation Project: Studies local urban seismic hazard in towns and cities across Trinidad and Tobago. Source: UWI-SRC Trinidad & Tobago Microzonation Project
• USGS Earthquake Hazards Program: Provides global earthquake event data used for earthquake maps and reviewed event pages. Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
• NOAA/NWS Tsunami Safety: Provides public tsunami safety guidance for coastal areas. Source: NOAA/National Weather Service Tsunami Safety

🗺️ Related Maps

View broader region: Caribbean Earthquakes

View nearby regions: North America Earthquakes

View Caribbean subregions: Puerto Rico |

You can also view the latest available worldwide earthquake list.