No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaMagnitude 6.8 earthquake jolts Costa Rica

Magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolts Costa Rica

A magnitude 6.8 earthquake shook much of Costa Rica on Wednesday afternoon.

The Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI) said the tremor occurred at 3:15 p.m. and had an epicenter on the Burica Peninsula, near the border between Costa Rica and Panama.

Below is the preliminary report of Wednesday’s event from OVSICORI. (The magnitude was later revised upward from 6.5 to 6.8.)

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) says an evaluation of possible damage is underway. Posts on social media described a lengthy shake, with some in the Southern Pacific and Caribbean saying objects fell off shelves.

Panama’s emergency-response agency, SINAPROC, shared photos of damaged houses:

Image

Costa Rica’s National Tsunami Monitoring System (SINAMOT) said there is no risk for a tsunami in the country following Wednesday’s earthquake. SINAMOT recommends evacuating to higher ground immediately in the face of strong and/or long earthquakes in the future.

The United States Geological Survey measured the earthquake as a magnitude 7.0 with an epicenter 80 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama. It was later recalculated at magnitude 6.8.

The National Seismological Network (RSN) of Costa Rica initially calculated a 7.0 magnitude.

OVSICORI, the RSN and the USGS will update their initial reports, which may result in changes to the announced magnitude.

Costa Rica averages 350 earthquakes each month — about 12 each day — though most are imperceptible.

Official sources to follow in the event of a seismic emergency include CNEOVSICORI and the National Seismological Network. The Tico Times will always strive to provide timely, accurate updates for our English-speaking audience.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Opens New Pedestrian Bridge at Guayabo National Monument

Costa Rica has added a new attraction to its archaeological sites with the opening of a pedestrian bridge at Guayabo National Monument. The structure...

Can Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Preserve Its Longevity Legacy?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as one of the five blue zones, where people live beyond the age of 90...

Chiquita Executives Convicted in Colombia for Financing Death Squads

Colombian justice on Wednesday sentenced seven former executives of the multinational banana company Chiquita Brands to more than 11 years in prison and a...

Costa Rica Launches Traceability System to Tackle Illegal Logging

Costa Rica is advancing with the creation of a National Forest Traceability System, a key tool to guarantee the legality and sustainability of timber...

Panama Removed from EU High-Risk List, but Tax Haven Status Remains

The film The Laundromat, starring Meryl Streep, damaged Panama's reputation by drawing inspiration from a real-life story: the global scandal that erupted a decade...

Costa Rican Lottery Official Investigated in Money Laundering Case

Another money laundering case has shaken Costa Rica. Following a series of raids that dismantled a laundering network operating through legal and illegal lottery...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica