An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck Guatemala on the night of Friday
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck Guatemala on the night of Friday, January 26, 2024. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake shook the Central American nation. It was recorded 7 km northwest of Taxisco, at a depth of 108 km.
The quake was felt in 12 departments of the country, according to the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala (CONRED).
The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology of Guatemala reported on social media (previously Twitter) that the magnitude 6 earthquake occurred at 11:54 p.m. local time on Friday, January 26.
CONRED reported the falling of rocks from the facade of the church of San Pablo Jocopilas in Suchitepéquez as a result of the earthquake.
They also informed about the collapse of a wall and a collapse of a drinking water pipeline.
Alarms rang out in the streets of Guatemala on Friday night when a strong earthquake measuring six on the Richter scale shook the country, also felt in neighboring El Salvador, as stated by the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology, and Hydrology of the country (INSIVUMEH).
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck Guatemala
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6 struck Guatemala, originally reported as magnitude 6, had its epicenter in the department of Escuintla, about 80 kilometers from the capital city of Guatemala City, according to the institution.
With the seismic activity, many people frightened by the tremor evacuated apartment buildings and took to the streets in various locations across Guatemala.
“Rockfall from the facade of the church San Pablo Jocopilas, Suchitepéquez, was reported,” said the Guatemalan National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction.
From El Salvador, presidential candidate Nayib Bukele urged calm via his social media account, stating they are monitoring the “strong earthquake.”
Initially reported as a magnitude 6, the earthquake was later updated to 5.9
INSIVUMEH details that the earthquake’s epicenter, recorded at 11:52 p.m. on January 26, was located in Escuintla, near the border with Santa Rosa, at a depth of 38.5 km.
Authorities indicated that the earthquake was felt in at least 12 departments of Guatemala. CONRED reported rockfall from the facade of an old church in San Pablo Jocopilas, Suchitepéquez, known as La Portada.
Fortunately, the magnitude 6 earthquake in Guatemala only resulted in injuries, according to CONRED, which also reported road collapses due to the earthquake. In the area known as Pachites, near the exit of the municipality of San Juan and the exit to San Pedro La Laguna, Sololá, there were reported road collapses.
One of these collapses caused three people riding motorcycles to fall. Three injuries have been reported so far, including a minor.
In parts of Guatemala, there are major earthquakes with magnitudes exceeding 7.0, causing damage within a radius of over 100 kilometers.
Due to the country’s unique tectonic situation, there are more earthquakes than average. Since 1950, over 23,100 people have died as a direct result of earthquakes.
Additionally, three earthquakes also triggered subsequent tsunamis, resulting in further loss of life and damage.
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