Recent Earthquakes
Guatemala is in constant earthquake activity. However, there are some earthquakes that are more notable due to the damage they've caused. Notable earthquakes in recent Guatemalan history include the following:
| Name | Date | Epicentre | M | MM | Depth | Notes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1717 Guatemala earthquake | 1717092900001717-09-29 |
Antigua Guatemala | 7.4 Mi | ~IX | Modified Mercalli intensity estimated at IX | ||
| 1751 Guatemala earthquake | 1773072900001751 |
Antigua Guatemala | . | . | . | . | . |
| 1765 Guatemala earthquake | 1765102400001765-10-24 |
Ostuncalco (Quetzaltenango) | 7.6-8.2 Mi | ~VII | Modified Mercalli intensity estimated at VII. Duration of shaking reported at 7–8 minutes, which may indicate possible rupture up to Chiapas. | ||
| 1773 Guatemala earthquake | 1773072900001773-07-29 |
Antigua Guatemala | 7.5 Mi | ~VIII | On July 29 of 1773, and the following months, a series of strong earthquakes shook Antigua Guatemala and left most of the city in rubble. Also called Santa Marta earthquakes. | ||
| 1816 Guatemala earthquake | 1816072200001816-07-22 |
Alta Verapaz (Chixoy-Polochic Fault) |
7.5 Mi | ~VII | Modified Mercalli intensity estimated at VII, covering 13,000 km2 | ||
| 1902 Guatemala earthquake | 1902041808551902-04-18 20:23:50 hrs |
14°54′N 91°30′W / 14.90°N 91.50°W / 14.90; -91.50 Quetzaltenango |
7.5 Ms | 25 | See also: 1902 Guatemala earthquake. This earthquake may be related to the colossal eruption of the Santa María volcano on 24-10-1902, which killed at least 5000 people. | 800-2000 | |
| 1913 Guatemala earthquake | 191303082012501913-03-08 08:55 hrs |
near Cuilapa Jalpatagua Fault |
5.0 | 6.5 km | Destroyed the town of Cuilapa | 60 | |
| 1917 Guatemala earthquake | 2001062300001917-12-26 05:21:00 hrs |
Guatemala City | 5.6 | VII-IX | Several foreshocks since November 27, 1917 have preceded this quake. | 250 | |
| 1918 Guatemala earthquake | 1918010400001918-01-04 04:30.10 and 04:32.25 LT |
near Guatemala City | 6.0 | VI | Magnitude estimate by INSUVIMEH | ||
| 1942 Guatemala earthquake | 1942080600001942-08-06 23:36.98 UTC |
13°54′N 90°48′W / 13.9°N 90.8°W / 13.9; -90.8 Western Guatemala |
7.9 | 60 km | 8.3 Ms, according to Insivumeh. 38 deaths, many injured, and widespread material damage. Additional damage due to landslides. | 38 | |
| 1959 Guatemala earthquake | 1959022000001959-02-20 18:16.33 UTC |
15°56′N 90°35′W / 15.94°N 90.59°W / 15.94; -90.59 Ixcán |
48 km | ||||
| 1976 Guatemala earthquake | 1976020400001976-02-04 09:01 UTC |
15°19′N 89°06′W / 15.32°N 89.10°W / 15.32; -89.10 Motagua Fault |
7.5 | X | 5 km | Activated destructive aftershocks in the Mixco Fault near Guatemala City. See also:1976 Guatemala earthquake | 23,000 |
| 1985 Guatemala earthquake | 1985101100001985-10-11 03:39.17 hrs |
15°18′N 90°54′W / 15.3°N 90.9°W / 15.3; -90.9 Uspantán |
5.0 | VII | 5 km | Major damage in the town of Uspantán (80% of buildings affected) | |
| 1988 Guatemala earthquake | 1988110314471988-11-03 14:14.10 hrs |
13°52′52″N 90°27′00″W / 13.881°N 90.450°W / 13.881; -90.450 San Vicente Pacaya |
6.0 | VI | 69 km | 5 casualties | 5 |
| 1991 Guatemala earthquake | 1991091100001991-09-11 03:48:13 hrs |
14°24.12′N 91°03.06′W / 14.40200°N 91.05100°W / 14.40200; -91.05100 Pochuta |
5.3 | VII | 32 km | Destroyed 80% of the town of San Miguel Pochuta | 25 |
| 1993 Chiapas earthquake | 1993091100001993-09-10 19:12:54 hrs |
14°43′01″N 92°38′42″W / 14.717°N 92.645°W / 14.717; -92.645 offshore Chiapas, San Marcos department |
7.2 | 34 km | Caused 1 casualty and considerable material damage in southwestern Guatemala where some roads were blocked due to rockslides. Some damage in parts of Chiapas. | 1 | |
| 1995 Guatemala earthquake | 1995121900001995-12-19 14:56:06 hrs |
15°18′04″N 90°09′14″W / 15.301°N 90.154°W / 15.301; -90.154 Tucurú |
5.3 | IV | 10 km | 1 | |
| 1998 Guatemala earthquake | 1998011000001998-01-10 02:20:10 hrs |
14°22′26″N 91°28′23″W / 14.374°N 91.473°W / 14.374; -91.473 Santo Domingo Suchitepéquez |
6.6 | VII, VI | 33 km | 16 people injured in Quezaltenango, 3 injured in San Marcos, 5 injured in Guatemala city. Buildings damaged in the Quezaltenango and San Marcos Departments. A number of houses destroyed in Solola Department. | |
| 1998 Guatemala earthquake (March) | 1998030200001998-03-02 20:24:46 LT |
13°52.92′N 91°52.38′W / 13.88200°N 91.87300°W / 13.88200; -91.87300 offshore Pacific Ocean |
5.6 | V, III | 33 km | ||
| 2007 Guatemala earthquake | 2007061300002007-06-13 02:29:41 hrs |
13°37′23″N 90°47′49″W / 13.623°N 90.797°W / 13.623; -90.797 offshore Pacific Ocean 115 km southwest of Guatemala City |
6.7 | 23 km | See also: 2007 Guatemala earthquake | 0 | |
| 2008 Guatemala earthquake | 2008052700002008-05-27 11:28:01 UTC |
13°42′54″N 90°55′16″W / 13.715°N 90.921°W / 13.715; -90.921 offshore Pacific Ocean 120 km southwest of Guatemala City |
5.7 | 78 km | |||
| 2009 Guatemala earthquake | 2009050316212009-05-03 16:21:47 UTC |
14°35′N 91°05′W / 14.58°N 91.08°W / 14.58; -91.08 South of Patzún 55 km (35 miles) ESE of Quezaltenango |
6.2 | 124 km | |||
| 2010 Guatemala earthquake | 20100202315162010-02-23 15:16:00 UTC |
15°59′02″N 91°23′10″W / 15.984°N 91.386°W / 15.984; -91.386 20 km north of San Mateo Ixtatán |
5.6 | 10 km | The earthquake was preceded by a magnitude 5.3 quake on February 23, 2010 at 10:52:15 UTC with its epicentre located at 16°02′53″N 91°13′48″W / 16.048°N 91.230°W / 16.048; -91.230 (10 km depth) A magnitude 5.3 quake followed in the same region on March 20, 2010, at 16°02′49″N 91°14′10″W / 16.047°N 91.236°W / 16.047; -91.236 (82.4 km km depth). | ||
| 2011 Guatemala earthquake | 2011091918342011-09-19 18:34:00 UTC |
14°19′55″N 90°08′31″W / 14.332°N 90.142°W / 14.332; -90.142 53 km south-east of Guatemala City |
5.8 | VII | 9 km | The earthquake was preceded by a magnitude 4.8 quake about 30 minutes earlier, and followed by two smaller quakes. | 3 |
| 2012 Guatemala earthquake | 201207112012-11-07 16:35:47 UTC |
13°59′13″N 91°57′54″W / 13.987°N 91.965°W / 13.987; -91.965 (2012 M7.4) | 7.4 | VII | 24.1 km | The earthquake was preceded by 3 magnitude 4-5 quakes the prior week. | 42 |
MM = Intensity on the Modified Mercalli scale
Read more about this topic: List Of Earthquakes In Guatemala
Famous quotes containing the word earthquakes:
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 24:7,8.