6.5 Earthquake Shakes Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast

Posted by Heartmind Weather Thursday, October 25th, 2012

(Associated Press) A powerful earthquake struck Costa Rica’s Pacific coast on Tuesday, swaying buildings and sending people running into the streets in the nation’s capital of San Jose.

The 6.5-magnitude quake was centered in the Guanacaste region of the Central American country, only 5 miles (8 kilometers) from the popular tourist town of Nicoya, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of 24.5 miles (39.5 kilometers), according to a preliminary report.

At the beach of Matapalo, an hour drive from Nicoya, residents said they heard a roaring sound when the quake struck.

“I’m shaken. But it doesn’t feel close to how it sounds like. The sound was deafening,” said Alberto Canales, a receptionist at the Hotel Riu Guanacaste.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties, however, from the 6.5 quake, which was followed by a magnitude-4.5 aftershock.