Massive Quake Hits Costa Rica

Massive Quake Hits Costa Rica And Generates A Lot Of Damage

A major earthquake has struck Costa Rica – onshore with large magnitude. Tsunami Alert has been removed by CNE. There is damage in the epicentral area due to the shaking.

- The CNE (National Emergency Comission) declared a red alert in all the country.

- So far Ovsicori has counted 170 aftershocks
- As the hospital in Puntaareanas has been closed, people looking for care have to visit other nearby dispensaria
- The Costa Rica Red Cross has reduced the number of fatalities to 1 (woman of 50 or 55 years old, depending on the source). The Red Cross could not confirm the second person who allegedly had been killed by a collapsing wall. In pure earthquake terms, the woman who perished after a heart attack, cannot be counted as a direct earthquake victim (secondary reason).
- The MOPT has started repair works on 7 closed roads
- 80% of the treated persons in hospitals had mainly “nervous breakdown” problems

Structural damage has been reported from :
- Hacienda Ministery in San Jose
- Popular bank in San Jose
- Hospital Monseñor Sanabria, in Puntarenas
- 10 houses destroyed in Lepanto de Puntaneras

Powerful Earthquake Reported In Costa Rica

A powerful, magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook Costa Rica and a wide swath of Central America on Wednesday, collapsing some houses, blocking highways and causing panic

The USGS said the 8:42 a.m. quake struck about 38 miles (60 kilometers) from the town of Liberia. It was centered about 25 miles (41 kilometers) below the surface. The magnitude initially was estimated at 7.9.

"There's chaos in San Jose because it was a strong earthquake of long duration," Salgado said. "It was pretty strong and caused collective chaos."

There were also a number of other significant quakes around the world:

Seismic Monitor

4.4 Virgin Islands

5.2 Philippines

5.9 Santa Cruz Islands

4.9 Indonesia

4.5 Taiwan

4.2 Alaska