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Jacó, Parrita, Esterillos and Turrubares were the towns closest to the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that rattled much of the country this evening at 8:28 p.m. local time, according to the Costa Rican National Seismological Network (Red Sismologico Nacional).
The intense shaking that lasted for at least 30 seconds, was accompanied by a roaring sound, as reported by many throughout the San José capital and surrounding Central Valley region. Reports of the quake being felt throughout the Pacific region, and even in Limón on the Caribbean coast were also recorded by the hundreds on Facebook.
So far, there are reports by the Ministry of Public Security of two people who suffered from heart attacks in Jacó due to the strong quake; they were brought in for medical attention.
Revised reports of the quake register the first and strongest event at a depth of 19 kms and an estimated location 15 km southeast of Esterillos, Garabito, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, just off the central Pacific beach town’s coast, and adjacent to Jacó beach, according to the Costa Rican Volcanology and Seismology Observatory at the National University (Ovsicori-UNA)
Information the event had nearly 11,000 shares in the first 20 minutes it was posted by Ovsicori on Facebook, who originally reported the quake as having a 6.9 magnitude.
The most significant of the many aftershocks included one of 5.1 at 8:32, another of 4.1 at 8:36, one of 3.5 at 8:50, and another of 3.9 at 9:11 in the same area. This information is subject to change as more data becomes available.
Initial data on the depth, exact location and exact magnitude of these events varies from one reporting source to another, an depends on the calculation models used. As data is analyzed more thoroughly final reports are made within an hour or so of the events.
The earthquake was due to subduction of the Cocos tectonic plate, explained scientists at Ovsicori-UNA.
The United States Geological Service (USGS) reported the event as registering a depth of 10 kms with a 6.8 magnitude.
