AIR Analyzes Costa Rica
Quake
According to catastrophe
risk modeling firm AIR
Worldwide the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS)
estimated that the
earthquake, which struck
Costa Rica last week,
measured 6.2. The
epicentre was located
about 35 km (22 miles)
northwest of San José,
at an estimated depth of
4.5 km . The quake was
felt throughout the
country, and as far away
as parts of neighboring
Nicaragua. Since
Thursday, the main event
has been followed by
over 1,200 minor
aftershocks.
"The tectonic framework
of Costa Rica is complex
as a result of four
plates and microplates
interacting: the Cocos,
Caribbean, Nazca and the
Panama block," explained
Dr. Guillermo Franco,
senior research engineer
at AIR Worldwide.
"The subduction of the
Cocos plate creates a
continuous range of
volcanoes as well as
crustal faults running
from the northwest to
southeast through
Guatemala, El Salvador,
Honduras, Nicaragua, and
Costa Rica," he added.
"The historical
seismicity indicates
that those active
crustal faults can
generate large
earthquakes, which
characterize a
significant hazard to
the cities located on
this zone. Costa Rica is
located on the Pacific
Ring of Fire, which
forms a belt of seismic
activity along the edge
of the Pacific Ocean."
Dr. Franco also
indicated that "most of
the insured building
stock in Costa Rica
consists of confined
masonry construction,
followed by reinforced
concrete of varying
seismic performance.
There are also some
unreinforced masonry
buildings throughout the
country, which are often
uninsured, as well as
small quantities of wood
and steel construction."
In AIR's estimation,
"Costa Rica has one of
the strictest building
codes in Central
America. Its first
version was developed in
1974 and later modified
in the 1980s. Its latest
building code version
dates from 2002.
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