Strong Earthquake Rocks Guatemala
A strong 6.2 magnitude earthquake shook Guatemala late Monday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.
The quake, which struck at at 5:02 pm (23:02 GMT), had its epicenter 10 kilometers (six miles) east-southeast of the capital Guatemala City at a depth of 200 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Yet despite the strong magnitude people in Guatemala City hardly felt the quake, witnesses said.
Guatemala's Disaster Coordination Network, CONRED, issued a mid-level "Yellow Alert" warning, but none of their regional officers across the country reported victims or damage.
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring El Salvador, which also reported no damage or victims.
Central America, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is prone to strong earthquakes.
Guatemala's deadliest earthquake was on February 4, 1976, when a magnitude 7.5 quake with an epicenter north-east of Guatemala City sent shockwaves that toppled walls and triggering landslides, killing more than 23,000 people, according to the USGS.
Source: Agence France Presse
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