September 19, 2011 Earthquake: Cuilapa Santa Rosa, Guatemala

Felt Reports

At least one person killed at Guatemala. Felt (VII) at

Cuilapa; (V) at Petapa; (IV) at Amatitlan, Cahabon,

Fraijanes, Guatemala, Mixco and Santa Catarina Pinula;

(III) at Antigua Guatemala. Felt widely in central and

southern Guatemala. Felt (III) at San Salvador, El

Salvador. Also felt at Ahuachapan, Antiguo Cuscatlan

and Santa Ana. Felt (II) at Copan and San Pedro Sula,

Honduras. Also felt at Comayagua. Felt at Belmopan,

Dangriga and San Ignacio, Belize.

Tectonic Summary

The Guatemala earthquake of September 19, 2011, occurred as the result of normal faulting at shallow depth in the northwest corner of the Caribbean plate, in the Central American subduction zone. A preliminary determination of the earthquake's focal-mechanism implies that the shock occurred as the result of faulting on a north-trending normal fault. The broad scale tectonics of the Central American subduction zone are controlled by the north-northeastward subduction of the Cocos plate beneath the Caribbean plate. The overriding Caribbean plate is characterized by east-west extensional stresses and experiences both strike-slip and normal-faulting earthquakes.

(above from reference #1053)

3 earthquakes rock Guatemala; 1 dead

GUATEMALA CITY (AP). Three earthquakes shook a major part of Guatemala in less than 90 minutes Monday afternoon, killing at least one person, authorities said.The largest quake, with a 5.8 magnitude, hit at 12:34 p.m., with two of 4.8 magnitude hitting before and after. All were centered in the same area about 30 miles southeast of the capital, Guatemala City. Firefighters confirmed that the temblors, which shook most of the country, caused a landslide on the highway to El Salvador near the epicenter of Cuilapa Santa Rosa that trapped at least one car and killed one person. Local media also reported that a wall fell on several houses, trapping a family. It was not clear if there were more casualties. Public buildings were evacuated in the area and school classes canceled, authorities said. The first quake struck at a depth of 38 miles, the second at 25 miles and the third at 23 miles. The first magnitude-4.8 temblor hit just after noon local time and the third of the same magnitude hit at about 1:20 p.m. (reference #9588)

Santa Rosa, Guatemala. 3 killed, 400 affected. (reference #1250)