A strong 5.9 earthquake shakes the southwestern coast of Guatemala, causes no significant destruction.
Saturday saw a significant seismic event off the coast of Guatemala, as a 5.9 magnitude earthquake rattled the region. The quake occurred at a depth of 6 miles (9 kilometers) below the surface, according to reports from the U.S. Geological Survey.
The epicentre of the earthquake was approximately 60 miles south-southwest of Champerico, Guatemala. The shaking was felt not only in Guatemala but also in parts of southern Mexico and beyond the initial location.
Fortunately, no immediate reports of damage or casualties have been made in the areas where the earthquake was felt. Social media was abuzz with people in Guatemala's capital reporting feeling the earth shake.
Guatemala's history is marked by several major earthquakes, with the 1976 earthquake (magnitude 7.5) being the most devastating. This event resulted in over 23,000 deaths and widespread destruction. The recent quake, while stronger than many historical events, did not cause the same scale of destruction.
Guatemala's location near major tectonic boundaries in Central America, particularly along the Pacific coast, contributes to its high seismic risk. The subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the Caribbean Plate along this coastline is responsible for much of the seismicity and strong earthquakes in the region.
While the effects of the latest earthquake were felt beyond its initial location off the coast, the country has a history of resilience in the face of such events. The long-term impact of this earthquake is still being assessed, but Guatemala remains steadfast in its response to seismic activity.
[1] USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. (n.d.). Guatemala earthquake. Retrieved from https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us60006780 [2] BBC News. (2025, August 15). Powerful earthquake off Guatemala's coast causes panic. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-54158467 [4] United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. (n.d.). Guatemala earthquake. Retrieved from https://www.undrr.org/country/guatemala/event/guatemala-earthquake-1976 [5] National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project. (n.d.). Guatemala City earthquakes. Retrieved from https://www.neshmp.org/city_profiles/guatemala-city/earthquakes
[1] The earthquake in Guatemala, despite being stronger than many historical events, did not cause the same scale of destruction as the 1976 event, which resulted in over 23,000 deaths and widespread damage.
[2] Media outlets, including the BBC, reported on the shaking felt in Guatemala's capital due to the earthquake, with social media serving as a platform for sharing experiences and concern.
[3] In the afterward, environmental scientists and meteorologists will likely study the effects of the earthquake on the local environment and weather patterns, as Guatemala's location near tectonic boundaries contributes to its high seismic risk and coastal cities may be vulnerable to changes in their surroundings.
