A series of earthquakes hit Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, prompting government officials to ask residents to leave buildings to avoid injuries from possible aftershocks.
The first earthquake, which had a magnitude of 5.2, hit southern Guatemala around mid-afternoon. It occurred about 60 kilometers from the capital city, Guatemala City, according to the country’s seismological institute. Following this, several aftershocks were recorded, with magnitudes ranging between 3.9 and 5.6.
NO MAJOR DESTRUCTION SO FAR
Photos and videos shared by local news outlets showed cracks in buildings and small damage to some structures. While these images raised alarm, authorities confirmed that there were no immediate reports of serious injuries or major buildings collapsing due to the quakes.
The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED), Guatemala’s disaster response agency, quickly issued safety instructions. “As a preventive measure, we recommend evacuating both public and private buildings,” CONRED said.
Emergency teams were dispatched to inspect buildings, hospitals, schools, and roads in the affected regions. So far, no major infrastructure damage has been reported, but evaluations are ongoing.
Earthquakes are common in Guatemala because the country lies in a region where multiple tectonic plates meet. Past earthquakes have caused major damage in the country, so officials are taking no chances even if Tuesday’s quakes did not cause serious harm.
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With inputs from Reuters