September 7, 2013 Earthquake: Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Reference #13456:

At least 3 houses collapsed, 2 highways blocked and landslides occurred in the epicentral area. Felt (VII) at Quetzaltenango; (VI) at Almolonga and San Jose Pinula; (V) at Amatitlan, Antigua Guatemala, Mixco, San Bartolome Milpas Altas, San Juan La Laguna and Santa Catarina Pinula; (IV) at Coban, Guatemala, Pajapita and Santa Cruz La Laguna; (III) at Fraijanes. Felt (IV) at Nueva San Salvador and San Salvador and (II) at Ahuachapan, El Salvador. Felt (VII) at Tapachula, (III) at San Cristobal de Las Casas and (II) at Villahermosa, Mexico. Felt at Belize City, Belize.

Tectonic Summary

The September 7, 2013 M 6.6 earthquake near the west coast of Guatemala in the Middle America subduction zone occurred close to the interface between the Cocos and North America plates. The depth and style of faulting of the earthquake indicates slip likely occurred on a very shallow, or near-vertical thrust fault consistent with intraplate faulting within the subducting Cocos plate, rather than on the overlying thrust interface. At the latitude of this event, the Cocos plate moves towards the north-northeast with respect to the North American plate at a rate of approximately 78 mm/yr.

The broad scale tectonics of the western and southwestern coast of Central America are dominated by the northeastward subduction of the Cocos oceanic plate beneath the North America plate. Thrust- and normal-type earthquakes are a common occurrence along this plate boundary and the Guatemala region, with events occurring both within the subduction zone - on the megathrust interface and within the subducting plate - and also in the overriding plate. Over the past 40 years, 27 events of M 6.0 or greater have occurred within 300 km of the September 2013 event.

Reference #10731:

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake today hit just four miles away of Pajapita, Guatemala, and just five miles from Ciudad Tecun Uman, causing some adobe houses to collapse near the epicenter, killing one woman, and injuring at least 11 people. The quake hit at 12:30 a.m. UTC, or 6:30 p.m. local time, and has caused damage in multiple cities. In addition, two other cities-Suchiate in Mexico (12 miles northeast) and Coatepeque in Guatemala (14 miles west)- were also nearby. The quake was on the Pacific side of the country, right near the border with Mexico. There was strong shaking along the coast for hundreds of miles in both directions from the quake, according to the United States Geological Service. The quake was felt strongly in the capital, Guatemala City, but authorities have not reported any immediate damages. It struck 104 miles (168 kilometers) west of the capital. It has caused blackouts in some parts of the country. People ran outside their homes and some motorists stopped their cars. "People living in Guatemala City's tall buildings were panicked," said Eddy Sanchez, director of Guatemala's National Institute of Seismology.

At least 11 people were injured, volunteer firefighters told Prensa Libre. A 70-year-old woman died from heart failure in Coatepeque. Other people and areas impacted included:

-Three people, including a pregnant woman, were injured in San Marcos

-Two people were injured in Quetzaltenango

-San Pedro and San Marcos have both lost power

-The municipalities of Chichicastenango, Chiché, Chinique, Zacualpa, Joyabaj and Pachalum, Quiche are without power

-Four homes collapsed in San Miguel Siguila, Quetzaltenango

-A house caught fire in Tiquisate

-A house collapsed in Sebastian Lemoa, Quiché

-Some poorly-built homes were destroyed in the town of Patzicia, located between the epicenter and the capital city

Reference #1250:

1 deeath, 52 injured, 2 million USD total damage