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

JetBlue First Class Is Coming to Three Costa Rica Routes This Winter

JetBlue's BlueFirst first class reaches Liberia Dec. 26 and San José Jan. 5. Here is what the new cabin includes.

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...

Costa Rica Pension Overhaul Could Require 30 Years of Work Instead of 25

Workers in Costa Rica's main public pension system could need five more years of contributions before they can retire, receive a smaller share of...

El Salvador’s Marcelo Arévalo Qualifies for ATP Finals Despite Vienna Upset

El Salvador’s Marcelo Arévalo and Croatian partner Mate Pavić have secured their place in the 2026 ATP Finals for the third consecutive year, although...

Costa Rica Gets Five Weekly Nonstop Flights From London Heathrow

British Airways now flies nonstop between London Heathrow and Costa Rica five times a week, and for the first time the route will run...

Tamarindo Celebrates Halloween Weekend With Costume Surfing, Parades and Beach Parties

Tamarindo is getting ready for a Halloween weekend that promises everything from surfers riding waves in costumes to trick-or-treating, costume contests, live music and...

Your 2027 Marchamo Comes With a Sticker That Lasts 10 Years

Your 2027 marchamo can be checked and paid starting Monday, Nov. 2. If your vehicle has a windshield, it's also the last year you'll...

Costa Rica Bus Crash Leaves Two Dead and Dozens Injured

Two women died and seven other people were seriously injured Wednesday morning when a passenger bus overturned on Route 4 in Sarapiquí, Heredia, leaving...

For First Time, Costa Rica Votes Against UN Call to End US Embargo on Cuba

Costa Rica voted against the annual United Nations resolution calling on the United States to lift its economic embargo on Cuba, the first time...
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