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June 15th, 2013 (InsideCostaRica.com) After an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale off the Pacific coast of Nicaragua on Saturday, both Nicaragua and other Central American countries were rocked by several smaller temblors and aftershocks.
The 6.6 quake struck off Nicaragua’s central Pacific coast at 11:35am local time, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Nicaraguan authorities said they do not have any reports of serious injuries or damages, though reports exist of minor damages to structures and cracks in the walls of homes. In addition, local reports said that one of the domes of the Church of San Juan, located in the historic city of León, had suffered structural damage.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in Hawaii, had issued a precautionary tsunami warning for Nicaragua after the quake, which struck 58 kilometers east of Masachapa on Nicaragua’s Pacific coast.
Costa Rican authorities reported a magnitude 4.9 earthquake at nearly the same moment in Sardinal de Carillo, Guanacaste, near the international airport located in Liberia and the popular tourist destination, Playas del Coco. A series of three aftershocks were reported after that event, though no reports of injuries or damage in Costa Rica have yet been reported.
In Nicaragua, authorities reported six aftershocks, the last at 1:40pm local time on Saturday, measuring 4.9 magnitude.
Meanwhile, a series of other moderate earthquakes struck other Central American countries, according to reports and civil authorities, including a 4.8 magnitude in Guatemala and a magnitude 5.0 in El Salvador.