Second Large Earthquake Hits Costa Rica in Just 2 Months

Repairs to Roads and Buildings is Still in Progress from the Jan. 8 Earthquake in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica was shaken by a large earthquake today, Wednesday, March 11 at 11:24 a.m. CMT. Preliminary estimates set the magnitude between 5.7 and 6.3 with a depth of 28 kilometers. The epicenter was 12 kilometers south west of the south Pacific coastal town of Golfito and 94 kilometers west of David, Panama in the Golfo Dulce. The earthquake was felt all through the southern region of Costa Rica all the way to the Central Valley and capital city of San Jose. This is the second magnitude 6 earthquake to hit the country in just over two months. The first struck 22 miles outside of San Jose on Jan. 8 of this year and had a death toll of over 30 people.

The southern zone of Costa Rica is significantly less populated than the Central Valley and no significant damages or injuries have yet been reported. According to the Costa Rican Seismic and Volcanic Observatory (OVSICORI), the quake was a result of a release of pressure caused by friction between the Coco, Caribe and Nazca tectonic plates. Those in the area reported the quake as long and forceful.

In the capital city of San Jose, several buildings were immediately evacuated, proof that January’s earthquake succeeded in calling attention to the country’s need for better preparation and response time. Reports from this described the quake as a long, moderate horizontal movement, while one resident reported he felt the ground moving in a circular motion.