Thousands affected as quake hits Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY – A 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck western Guatemala early Wednesday caused damage affecting nearly 25,000 people, and caused one person to suffer a fatal heart attack, authorities said.

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at a depth of 84 kilometers (52 miles), was in the coastal district of Escuintla, less than 100 kilometers southwest of the capital, Guatemala City.

The United States Geological Survey said it measured 6.2, though Guatemalan authorities estimated it was stronger, at 6.8, followed by an aftershock of 4.8.

The quake caused landslides on roads, damage to houses and power outages affecting some 24,800 people, according to rescue services.

A 50-year-old woman died of a heart attack in a village west of the capital, which officials linked to the quake without specifying how.

The tremor was felt as far as El Salvador to the southeast of Guatemala and the south of Mexico.

Firefighters also reported a landslide on the road from the capital to Antigua, Guatemala’s main tourist city.

The Central American country, located at the meeting point of three tectonic plates, is in a risk zone for earthquakes.

Last year, more than 125 earthquakes were recorded in Guatemala without any deaths or significant damage.