6.2 Guatemala Quake: No Reports of Damage

Residents of Guatemala City said they barely felt a 6.2-magnitude quake that struck nearby,. Pictured above: Banners placed by relatives and friends of former senior military officers on trial for crimes committed during the civil war (1960-1996) who demand fair trials. (Johan Ordonez/AFP/Getty Images)

GUATEMALA CITY—A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck near Guatemala City on Monday, but residents said they barely felt the temblor and authorities had no immediate reports of damages or deaths.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was located 3 miles (6 kilometers) northwest of San Jose Pinula and had a depth of 200 kilometers (124 miles).  

“So far we have received no reports of damage and we’re monitoring nationwide,” said Mario Cruz, a spokesman for firefighters.

The quake was only 6 miles (9 kilometers) from Guatemala’s capital, but was barely felt, perhaps because of its depth.

In November 2012, a magnitude-7.4 earthquake left 42 people dead in Guatemala. The quake, which was just 32 kilometers (20 mile) deep, was centered off the coastal town of Champerico. It was the strongest earthquake to hit Guatemala since a 1976 temblor that killed 23,000.