Death's toll from multiple earthquakes in Guatemala increases to 3
The southern and central regions of Guatemala were hit by a series of earthquakes on July 8, 2025, causing at least six fatalities, numerous injuries, and significant damage to homes and infrastructure. The strongest mainshock measured a magnitude of 5.7 Mw, striking shallow at a depth of 10 km near the town of San Vicente Pacaya in Escuintla Department.
President Bernardo Arevalo has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims, with at least two deaths reported from a rockfall burying a vehicle near Antigua Guatemala and a father and son killed by a rockslide that struck their pickup truck while traveling from Palín to Santa María de Jesús. Several injuries have also been reported, with more than 21 people injured across three departments.
The epicenter of the quakes was close to San Vicente Pacaya, Amatitlán, and Palín, impacting these towns and surrounding areas in the Escuintla, Guatemala, and Sacatepéquez departments. Around 974,000 people felt strong shaking, 2.6 million moderate shaking, and nearly 7.9 million light shaking, including residents of Guatemala City and neighboring El Salvador.
Dozens of homes suffered severe structural damage, with at least 88 homes affected, 52 of which were severely damaged. Public infrastructure damage includes nine health centers, two government buildings, three schools, and 14 road sections. A church in Santa María de Jesús and a building in Guatemala City were severely damaged or collapsed.
Rescue teams are actively freeing people buried by landslides, with some already rescued and hospitalized. Government authorities have suspended school classes and work for July 9 in the most affected departments as part of emergency measures. Evacuations occurred in Guatemala City following strong tremors and earthquake alarms.
The response involves regional disaster coordinators focusing on affected towns in the departments of Guatemala, Escuintla, and Sacatepéquez, aiming to control the damage and assist victims amid ongoing aftershocks. Families in affected areas have been sleeping overnight in the streets outside their homes due to continued aftershocks.
Officials reported that the tremors were felt as far away as El Salvador. As of now, no new deaths or victims have been reported, and the search for a missing woman following a landslide in Villa Nueva continues. The president, Bernardo Arevalo, has been visiting a town near the epicenter to assess the situation and offer support to the affected communities.
[1] Earthquake Track, (2025). Guatemala Earthquake Sequence, July 8, 2025. Retrieved from https://earthquaketrack.com/guatemala-earthquake-sequence-july-8-2025/
[2] Guatemalan National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, (2025). Press Release: Earthquake Response and Damage Assessment. Retrieved from https://conred.gob.gt/noticias/comunicado-de-prensa-respuesta-a-terremotos-y-evaluacion-de-daños/
[3] BBC News, (2025). Guatemala earthquake: Six dead and dozens injured in sequence of quakes. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57840621
[4] Associated Press, (2025). Guatemala earthquake: Death toll rises to six as aftershocks continue. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/guatemala-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-six-as-aftershocks-continue-244e80228867a08d60879f1d97183c3f
In the wake of the earthquakes that struck Guatemala on July 8, 2025, the situation in California, concerning general news, crime and justice, accidents, or weather, remains unaffected. President Bernardo Arevalo, during his visits to affected towns, has not mentioned any earthquake-related issues originating from California.
