7.6 Magnitude Quake Hits Costa Rica

By , Expert Senior Meteorologist
September 06, 2012; 5:03 AM
Share |

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake has hit Costa Rica, Wed., Sept. 5, 2012, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Two people have been confirmed dead, with more than 20 people injured, according to the Red Cross.

The strong quake was centered under the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, 87 miles west of the nation's capital, San Jose, and occurred at 10:42 a.m. EDT.

A tsunami warning was issued for the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru by the National Weather Service Tsunami Warning Center, but has since been cancelled.

The tsunami watch for Chile has also been cancelled.

The tsunami watches and warnings were issued because of the uncertainty as to whether or not the sea floor was disturbed and the proximity of land relative to the quake.

There have been no reports of tsunami waves produced from the quake.

The region, including the area off the coast is in a plate tectonic subduction zone, which is an area where the land and sea floor can slip in the vertical. If the sea floor is disturbed enough, the sea surface can also be disturbed, generating tsunami waves.

According to NBC News, seismologists have stated that portions of the Nicoya Peninsula have been thrust upward by about a meter (approximately 3 feet).

Comments

Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.

More Weather News

  • Emotional Dog, Owner Reunions After Oklahoma Tornadoes

    May 24, 2013; 5:21 PM ET

    "This pup was literally singing when he saw his family," Michelle Karolicki, relocation program manager of the Central Oklahoma Humane Society, said about a reunion that took place on Thursday.

Daily U.S. Extremes

past 24 hours

  Extreme Location
High N/A
Low N/A
Precip N/A

WeatherWhys®

This Day In Weather History

Abilene, TX (2000)
109 degrees, hottest ever in May.

Knoxville, TN (1807)
Hail 10" in circumference hail; a tornado went over the river, sucking fish out of the water.

Philadelphia, PA (1992)
A dramatic cold frontal passage. Early afternoon temperature over 80 degrees fell to a late-day reading in the 40s.