Strong quake hits Costa Rica, one dead

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Posted at 2009/01/08/1841 by farkinga
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RTFA: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE50…

A strong earthquake struck Costa Rica on Thursday, killing at least one child and injuring several people as it damaged buildings in the capital and shook nearby volcanoes.

The quake of magnitude 6.1 triggered landslides in rural areas and damaged a highway near a national volcano park.

Costa Rican media said two children selling candies to tourists on the Poas volcano were buried in a landslide on a volcano and at least one was dead. Several other people were reported hurt in a village northwest of San Jose.

“I was very frightened. First I got underneath an arch support and then, when it calmed down, I got out of the house,” said lawyer Michael Henreichs, 35, in San Jose.

The quake’s epicenter was 20 miles from San Jose at a depth of 21.7 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and caused shaking for some 40 seconds.

Pieces of ceiling fell off homes in the capital and a group of tourists was reportedly stranded on a damaged road.

Local television showed buildings with shattered windows and damaged walls, but emergency services officials had no reports of serious injuries or deaths.

Earthquakes above magnitude 6 on the Richter scale can cause widespread damage in populated areas. Thursday’s quake was initially measured at 6.2.

We’ll keep an eye on the news, fumf!

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  • fumf
    *UPDATE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7822627.stm

    19 people are dead with another 50 missing, apparently it's one of the strongest to hit in 150 years. Wow! It didn't feel that bad to me.
  • farkinga
    damn - and in spite of this being the biggest quake in that period of time, they're still confident that the volcano isn't going to blow?? I mean, I did RTFA, which said nothing about it... but imjustsayingisall
  • placidwater
    @Secure: Thank you for posting info on the damages and citizen registry!

    @FUMF: I'm so glad you're safe and sound!
  • fumf
    Hola Secure,
    I'm glad to hear you are OK. Yes, I "fumf" live in San Jose, Costa Rica, and felt the quake too. Luckily, I live in a nice condo made of solid material unlike a lot of the poverty-stricken people here. I feel bad for the people who are living in houses made of literally sheet metal and cardboard.

    I use to live in Northern California, which would experience earthquakes as severe as this one, (6.2) but the higher standard of architecture made the earthquakes much less dangerous.
  • From Costa Rica: We feel the quake.
    Most of the damages are around the Poas Volcano.
    Some medium material damages, But don't alarm the world.

    You can use http://RegistroNacional.Com
    to to search people if you know the by name, phone, address, properties or cars.
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