A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off Guatemala's Pacific coast Wednesday, causing panic in the Central American country although there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The quake, which struck at 1:29 pm (1929 GMT) was also felt in neighboring El Salvador, where employees rushed out of buildings to seek safety in open spaces.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or of significant damage.

The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred offshore at a depth of 64 kilometers (40 miles), 115 kilometers (70 miles) southwest of Guatemala City, and 135 kilometers (85 miles) west-southwest of Santa Ana, El Salvador.

The US National Weather Service said there was no threat of a large, damaging tsunami hitting Guatemala's coast or any other, "based on historical earthquake and tsunami data."

"However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts within a hundred kilometers (60 miles) of the epicenter.

"Authorities in the region of the epicenter should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action," the service said.

The intensity reading of 6.8 is based on the Moment Magnitude scale, now used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released.

A measurement of 6.0 or higher indicates a strong quake, while seven and above indicates a major quake.

The earthquake caused panic in southern Guatemala where residents rushed out of their homes, fearing the walls and roofs could collapse.

Guatemala has coasts on both sides of the narrow Central American continent, part of the "ring of fire," a concentration of geological activity, volcanoes and earthquakes around the Pacific Ocean.

The country was devastated in February 1976 when a magnitude 7.5 quake struck 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Guatemala City, killing 23,000 people, causing houses to collapse and triggering landslides that cut off numerous roads.

Thousands of aftershocks from the 1976 quake caused additional damage and death, hindering electricity repair and supplies of food and water while thousands remained homeless.
 

EARTHQUAKE on 13/06/2007 at 19:29 (UTC) OFFSHORE GUATEMALA                     35 km S  San jose MAGNITUDE: Mw 6.9 Data provided by: BEO  BRA  BUC  GFU  GFZ  INGV NEIC PTWC SED  ZAMG Latitude    =  13.62 N Longitude   =  90.75 W Origin Time =  19:29:45.6 (UTC) Depth       =  80 Km RMS         =   0.94 sec Gap         = 107 degrees 95% confidence ellipse: - Semi major = 6.0 Km                         - Semi minor = 3.7 Km                         - Azimuth of major axis =  31 degrees Number of data used = 244 Preliminary location computed on Wed Jun 13 20:04:23 2007 (UTC) Done by Julien VERGOZ Message number: 882 All magnitudes estimations : mb5.9 (BEO)   mb6.0 (BRA)   mb5.5 (BUC)   mb5.9 (GFZ)   mb5.5 (INGV)  M 6.8 (NEIC)  Mw7.0 (PTWC)  mb5.7 (SED)   P.S.: For additional information, please contact EMSC at:              - Email: mazet[at]emsc-csem.org              - Web  : http://www.emsc-csem.org (maps available)              - Fax  : 33 1 69 26 70 00

Magnitude-6.8 Quake Strikes Off Guatemala's Coast By Bill Faries June 13, 2007  (Bloomberg) -- The second major earthquake in a week struck off the Pacific coast of Guatemala. Initial reports from relief groups and the government suggested there was no significant damage in the Central American nation. The earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.8, struck at 3:29 p.m. New York time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors seismic events around the world. The epicenter was 115 kilometers (70 miles) south-southwest of Guatemala City and 135 kilometers west-southwest of Santa Ana, El Salvador, at a depth of 65 kilometers, according to the agency. Rachel Wolff, a press officer with the relief group World Vision, said her organization contacted 30 communities along Guatemala's western coast and received no reports of major damage or loss of life. Hugo Hernandez, Guatemala's disaster relief coordinator, said on CNN that the quake caused landslides but no ``significant damage'' to the country. Guatemala's location along the border of the Pacific and Caribbean tectonic plates makes the country susceptible to earthquakes, said Rafael Abreu, a geophysicist at the U.S. National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado. ``Having two earthquakes within one week is a completely normal tectonic activity in this region,'' Abreu said by phone. ``But that's not to say it feels normal for the people who live there.'' The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in an e-mailed statement that ``no widespread destructive tsunami threat exists'' from the earthquake. The statement reported that there is a possibility of local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within 100 kilometers of the quake's epicenter. Fleeing People Accountant Jorge Olivares, 39, said in a phone interview that the quake lasted about 30 seconds and sent people fleeing from buildings in Guatemala City. Abreu said the depth of the earthquake made the possibility of aftershocks less likely. He said today's event was ``probably unrelated'' to an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 that struck the region on June 8. To contact the reporter on this story: Bill Faries in Buenos Aires at wfaries@bloomberg.net Last Updated: June 13, 2007 18:24 EDT

Guatemala City (eCanadaNow) - A strong quake measuring between 5.4 and 6.8 degrees on the Richter scale shook Guatemala and El Salvador on Wednesday. No casualties were reported, but the quake caused panic among the population in the capitals Guatemala City and San Salvador, with many people rushing out onto the streets. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake started at 2:29 pm (2029 GMT) and lasted 49 seconds, but there was confusion over its size. The USGS said the quake had a magnitude of 6.8, but Guatemala's own geological institute put its strength at 5.4 on the Richter scale. Nicaragua's geological institute measured the quake at 6.3. The earthquake's epicentre was just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, about 114 kilometres south-west of the capital Guatemala City, and was also felt in southern Mexico. Several buildings were evacuated in Guatemala City, but that was merely a precautionary measure in case of aftershocks, according to Eddy Sanchez, director of Guatemala's geological institute. Damage to buildings was reported in some areas and phone lines were down in parts of the region, but authorities insisted there was no serious damage. El Salvador and Guatemala have suffered heavy tectonic activity in the past. Two large earthquakes and related landslides caused more than 1,000 casualties in El Salvador in early 2001.

Strong quake off Guatemala sends people rushing from homes Published: Wednesday June 13, 2007 Published: Wednesday June 13, 2007

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck off Guatemala's Pacific coast Wednesday, causing panic in the Central American country although there were no immediate reports of casualties. The quake, which struck at 1:29 pm (1929 GMT) was also felt in neighboring El Salvador, where employees rushed out of buildings to seek safety in open spaces. There were no immediate reports of casualties or of significant damage. The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred offshore at a depth of 64 kilometers (40 miles), 115 kilometers (70 miles) southwest of Guatemala City, and 135 kilometers (85 miles) west-southwest of Santa Ana, El Salvador. The US National Weather Service said there was no threat of a large, damaging tsunami hitting Guatemala's coast or any other, "based on historical earthquake and tsunami data." "However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts within a hundred kilometers (60 miles) of the epicenter. "Authorities in the region of the epicenter should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action," the service said. The intensity reading of 6.8 is based on the Moment Magnitude scale, now used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released. A measurement of 6.0 or higher indicates a strong quake, while seven and above indicates a major quake. The earthquake caused panic in southern Guatemala where residents rushed out of their homes, fearing the walls and roofs could collapse. Guatemala has coasts on both sides of the narrow Central American continent, part of the "ring of fire," a concentration of geological activity, volcanoes and earthquakes around the Pacific Ocean. The country was devastated in February 1976 when a magnitude 7.5 quake struck 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Guatemala City, killing 23,000 people, causing houses to collapse and triggering landslides that cut off numerous roads. Thousands of aftershocks from the 1976 quake caused additional damage and death, hindering electricity repair and supplies of food and water while thousands remained homeless.

Strong Quake Shakes Guatemala By RODRIGO ESTRADA 06.13.07, 9:47 PM ET  A powerful earthquake shook Guatemala and parts of El Salvador Wednesday, causing some residents of the capital cities to rush from buildings into the streets for safety, officials said. The 6.8-magnitude quake snarled traffic in Guatemala City but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries. Aid workers across Guatemala reported only minor damage to homes in a couple of rural communities, according to Francois de la Roche, Latin America's director for humanitarian and emergency affairs for the aid organization World Vision. "I didn't notice it at first but then felt this long, swaying motion back and forward," de la Roche said in a telephone interview from Antigua, Guatemala. The quake struck at 1:29 p.m. and was centered 70 miles southwest of Guatemala City off the Pacific coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Guatemala's seismology institute said the quake lasted 49 seconds. In Guatemala City, people fled buildings into the streets, throwing traffic into chaos in the sprawling city. "It rattled a lot of nerves," said Benedicto Giron, spokesman for the National Disaster Reduction Center. Outside the capital, landslides were reported in the southwest province of Escuintla, but they apparently caused no casualties, Giron said. He added, however, that phone service was knocked out in some areas and information was only trickling in slowly. The quake was also felt strongly in neighboring El Salvador, where people ran into the streets in the capital of San Salvador, but the Red Cross there said it had no reports of damage or injuries. It was also felt in the Mexican city of Tapachula along the Guatemalan border. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Hawaii said no tsunami was expected from the quake. The region is prone to earthquakes. Almost 23,000 people died in a 1976 earthquake in Guatemala.

Guatemala powerful earthquake causes panic   06/15/2007 00:06 Source: AP ©   A powerful earthquake that shook Guatemala caused widespread panic but left both countries virtually unscathed. Guatemala is a region prone to earthquakes (en.wikipedia.org) "Besides some landslides, the only other damage confirmed has been a wall that collapsed at a home under construction," Ana Luis Olmedo, spokeswoman for the National Disaster Reduction Center, told The Associated Press on Thursday. Eddy Sanchez, director of the Guatemala's seismology institute, said several aftershocks have been felt since the 6.8-magnitude quake struck Wednesday afternoon southwest of Guatemala City. Gabriel Arana said she was cooking when the earthquake caused the corrugated metal roof on her shack to flap up and down like a flag at 1:29 p.m. local time (1929 GMT) Wednesday. "We're used to earthquakes but this was really scary," she said. The quake was centered 70 miles (115 kilometers) southwest of Guatemala City off the Pacific coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Guatemala's seismology institute said the quake lasted 49 seconds. In Guatemala City, people fled into the streets, throwing traffic into chaos in the sprawling city. "It rattled a lot of nerves," said Benedicto Giron, spokesman for the National Disaster Reduction Center. Outside the capital, landslides were reported in the southwest province of Escuintla, but they apparently caused no casualties, Giron said. He added, however, that phone service was knocked out in some areas. The quake was also felt strongly in neighboring El Salvador, where people ran into the streets in the capital of San Salvador, but the Red Cross there said it had no reports of damage or injuries. It was also felt in the Mexican city of Tapachula along the Guatemalan border. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Hawaii said no tsunami was expected from the quake. The region is prone to earthquakes. Almost 23,000 people died in a 1976 earthquake in Guatemala. Read sensational news stories