HomeArchiveOne year after the Nicoya quake, magnitude-5.9 temblor jolts Guanacaste

One year after the Nicoya quake, magnitude-5.9 temblor jolts Guanacaste

Exactly one year after the earthquake that struck the northwestern Nicoya Peninsula a temblor measuring magnitude-5.9 shook the province of Guanacaste at 6:29 a.m. Thursday, the University of Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network (RSN) said.

The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (Ovsicori) reported the quake as a magnitude-5.3.

The epicenter was located 19 kilometers southwest of Manzanillo in Santa Cruz. That is 60 km from the Nicoya earthquake epicenter.

The RSN report indicates the temblor was caused by the collision of Cocos and Caribbean plates.

At 10:30 a.m., Ovsicori registered 36 aftershocks with magnitudes of up to four degrees, however most of them have not been felt.

Neither the Red Cross or the Fire Department have received any reports of injuries or damage to structures due to the quake.

On Thursday, President Laura Chinchilla and other government officials presented a report of all the actions taken by her administration on the first anniversary of the magnitude-7.6 earthquake. It jolted most of the country starting at 8:42 a.m. and lasted some 45 seconds. A 51-year-old woman died of a heart attack following the event, although she was not included in the official quake death toll.

According to official figures, the cost of infrastructure replacement was estimated at $100 million, $20 million corresponding to repairs to the Monseñor Sanabria Hospital in the Pacific province of Puntarenas.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Megaprison to Limit Conjugal Visits to 30 Minutes Every Six Months

Costa Rica's CACCO megaprison takes its first inmates Monday under strict new visit rules.

Pacific Coast Faces Its Highest Tides of the Season Through Saturday

If you live near the shore or have a beach trip planned on the Pacific coast this week, expect the sea to reach farther...

Shakira Concert in Costa Rica Approved for January 2027 but Not Confirmed

Shakira could perform in Costa Rica on January 31, 2027, after the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce (MEIC) approved a presale plan for...

Uvita Mansion Hid 357 Cocaine Packages and Costa Rica’s First 3D-Printed Rifles

Police seized 357 cocaine packages and Costa Rica's first 3D-printed rifles at a luxury house in Uvita.

Costa Rica’s First Cold Push of the Season Brings Stronger Winds and Rain

Costa Rica is beginning to feel the effects of the first cold push of the season, bringing stronger winds to Guanacaste and the Central...

Costa Rica Unveils New ₡100 Coin Celebrating Limón Calypso

Costa Rica is paying tribute to one of its most distinctive musical traditions with a new ₡100 coin celebrating Limón calypso, a genre deeply...

US Embassy Helped Mother Get Son Out of Costa Rica Community, She Says

An American mother says she watched her son grow thinner and more distant over more than two years in a religious community in Pérez...

For the First Time, Women Lead All Three Branches of Costa Rica’s Government

Patricia Vargas's election as Supreme Court president means women lead all three branches of Costa Rica's government.

Rincón de la Vieja Could Be Settling Down or Building Toward Bigger Eruptions

Rincón de la Vieja is erupting less often and with less force than it did over the summer. Scientists say that does not yet...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel