2007 Guatemala earthquake

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2007 Guatemala earthquake
Guatemala Quake June 13.2007.jpg
UTC  time??
ISC  event
USGS-ANSS
Date *June 13, 2007 (2007-06-13)
Local date
Local time
Magnitude6.7 Mw
Depth23 km (14 mi) [1]
Epicenter 13°33′N90°37′E / 13.55°N 90.62°E / 13.55; 90.62 Coordinates: 13°33′N90°37′E / 13.55°N 90.62°E / 13.55; 90.62 [1]
Type Reverse [1]
Areas affected Guatemala
Max. intensity VI (Strong) [1]
CasualtiesNone

The 2007 Guatemala earthquake occurred on June 13 at 13:29:46 local time. The epicenter was located in the Pacific Ocean, south of Puerto Quetzal, about 115 kilometres (71 mi) south-southwest of Guatemala City.

The epicenter, epicentre or epicentrum in seismology is the point on the Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or an underground explosion originates.

Puerto Quetzal Place in Escuintla Department, Guatemala

Puerto Quetzal is Guatemala's largest Pacific Ocean port. It is important for both cargo traffic and as a stop-off point for cruise liners.

Guatemala City City in Guatemala, Guatemala

Guatemala City, locally known as Guatemala or Guate, officially Nueva Guatemala de la Asunción, is the capital and largest city of Guatemala, and the most populous in Central America. The city is located in the south-central part of the country, nestled in a mountain valley called Valle de la Ermita. It is estimated that its population is about 1 million. Guatemala City is also the capital of the Municipality of Guatemala and of the Guatemala Department.

The quake was reportedly felt in Guatemala, El Salvador and parts of Mexico. The quake caused a minor landslide on the Inter-American Highway, and a small number of houses were reported to have been damaged or destroyed along Guatemala's south coast, [2] but there were no reports of major damage or casualties. [1]

Mexico country in the southern portion of North America

Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico. Covering almost 2,000,000 square kilometres (770,000 sq mi), the nation is the fifth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent state in the world. With an estimated population of over 120 million people, the country is the eleventh most populous state and the most populous Spanish-speaking state in the world, while being the second most populous nation in Latin America after Brazil. Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states and Mexico City, a special federal entity that is also the capital city and its most populous city. Other metropolises in the state include Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Toluca, Tijuana and León.

While the USGS assigned a magnitude of 6.7 for this event, many local seismological agencies in Guatemala, [3] El Salvador and Nicaragua only registered the quake in the 5.5–6.0 range.[ citation needed ] These calculations are more accurate due to the seismographs' locations closer to the epicenter, and are in agreement with the minor shaking reported by residents.[ citation needed ]

Nicaragua Country in Central America

Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the largest country in the Central American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the northwest, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Managua is the country's capital and largest city and is also the third-largest city in Central America, behind Tegucigalpa and Guatemala City. The multi-ethnic population of six million includes people of indigenous, European, African, and Asian heritage. The main language is Spanish. Indigenous tribes on the Mosquito Coast speak their own languages and English.

In addition, the USGS coins all movements as earthquakes, while in Latin America, small movements such as this one are called tremors ("temblores" in Spanish). [4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 USGS. "M6.7 - offshore Guatemala". United States Geological Survey.
  2. Prensa Libre (June 14, 2007). "Sismo suscita alarma". prensalibre.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  3. INSIVUMEH. "Sismicidad registrada del 01 al 30 de junio 2007" (PDF). insivumeh.gob.gt. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 16, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2009.
  4. "Diccionario de la Lengua Española". Real Academia Española. Retrieved January 20, 2010.