July 7, 2014 Earthquake: San Marcos, Mexico, Guatemala

Reference #13456:

At least 3 people killed, 33 injured, major damage and numerous landslides occurred at San Marcos, Guatemala. Felt (V) at Almolonga, San Juan La Laguna and Santa Cruz La Laguna; (IV) at Coban, Fraijanes, Guatemala, Lanquin, Mixco, San Bartolome Milpas Altas, Santa Catarina Pinula and Villa Canales. Felt (VII) at Tapachula; (IV) at Mexico, San Cristobal de Las Casas and Villahermosa, Mexico. Felt (III) at Antiguo Cuscatlan and San Salvador, El Salvador. Felt (II) at Belize, Belize. Felt in much of Guatemala and southern Mexico. Also felt in parts of Belize. Huixquilucan de Degollado, Mexico - CDI: 8; Cacahoatan, Chiapas, Mexico - CDI: 7; Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico - CDI: 7; Quetzaltenango, Guatemala - CDI: 7

Tectonic Summary

The July 7, 2014 M 6.9 earthquake near the coast of Chiapas, Mexico occurred as the result of normal faulting at a depth of 60 km. The earthquake occurred near the border between Mexico and Guatemala, near Puero Madero, Mexico, and about 200 km from Guatemala City, Guatemala, which has a population of one million people. At the location of the earthquake, the Cocos plate subducts to the northeast beneath the North America plate at a velocity of approximately 79 mm/yr, forming the Middle America subduction zone. The mechanism of the earthquake is consistent with extension within the down-going Cocos slab. The earthquake occurred below and to the east of the slab interface where larger, thrust-type earthquakes can occur.

The region around the July 7 earthquake is highly seismically active, having produced 12 events of M7.0 or greater since 1902 within 200 km of the epicenter. Most recently, an M7.4 event occurred in November 2012 on the subduction zone interface 123 km southeast of the July 7 event. Other notable events include an M7.2 in 1993 which caused 1 casualty in western Guatemala; an M7.7 in 1942 with 38 casualties and widespread damage, and two events of M7.8 and 7.5 in 1902.

Reference #11013:

A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least three people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The magnitude 7.1 quake struck the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, which was also hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in November 2012 that killed 48 people. Cracks opened up in buildings, there were landslides causing roadblocks, and power lines came down in the area after the early morning quake, authorities said. Asked to confirm reports the quake had claimed three lives, Alejandro Maldonado, director of Guatemalan emergency authority CONRED, said: "Yes, unfortunately." Luis Rivera, governor of the San Marcos region, said at least 48 homes suffered significant damage in the local town of La Reforma, whose municipal cemetery was also destroyed. "This quake was pretty strong. Families in the area are really scared because of the whole experience of November 2012. There are houses destroyed," he said. Raul Hernandez, a Guatemalan fire services spokesman, said two deaths were reported in San Rafael Pie de la Cuesta in San Marcos. He also said the quake had damaged 30 houses. Twelve people are in hospital receiving treatment and 50 houses were evacuated in the region, which suffered major disruptions to communication, added Sergio Vasquez, another spokesman for fire services. "The whole San Marcos region is pretty affected," he said. The quake was centered 22 miles (35 km) west-southwest of the city of Tapachula in the Mexican state of Chiapas at a depth of about 47 miles (75 km) the U.S. Geological Survey said. Authorities in Chiapas said there were no immediate reports of major damage. The quake was also felt in El Salvador.

9 deaths, 33 injured, USD 123 million in economic loss (reference #13727)

Guatemala: 1 death, 274 injured; Mexico: 3 deaths (reference #1250)