4.5 magnitude earthquake hits near Gulf of Nicoya

An earthquake measuring 4.5 magnitude and 39 kilometers deep shook a wide portion of the country this afternoon, without producing damage or injuries, a source told AFP.

The quake occurred at 1:59 p.m., with an epicenter 3.6 kilometer to the east of the town of Pozo Azul, in the northwest province of Guanacaste, according to seismologist Ronny Quintero of the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica.
The zone is near the Gulf of Nicoya, an area prone to seismic activity.

According to Quinetero, the movement shook the provinces of Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Alajuela and part of the capital.

The cause of the quake was due to subduction between the Coco and Caribbean plate.