A series of earthquakes struck Guatemala in Central America on Tuesday, July 8th, causing widespread shaking in most areas and even affecting neighboring El Salvador. Guatemalan authorities confirmed on Wednesday, July 9th, that the geological disaster has resulted in at least 4 fatalities and multiple injuries.
According to various media reports, since Tuesday afternoon, seismic monitoring departments in Guatemala have documented over 150 earthquakes and aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 3.0 to 5.7. The epicenter was mainly concentrated in the Sacatepéquez Department in the central-southern part of the country, with several aftershocks occurring in the adjacent Escuintla Department and Guatemala Department. Educational institutions in these three provinces have all announced preventive school closures.
Local officials reported that a series of earthquakes triggered seismic alarms in the capital city of Guatemala, prompting a mass evacuation of people from buildings. A highway in the renowned ancient city of Antigua suffered a landslide, causing damage to various infrastructure and buildings, leading to partial road closures.
President of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, took to social media on Wednesday to announce that rescue teams found the bodies of a woman and her dog under the rubble in the southern part of the capital. He extended condolences to the families of the deceased and mentioned that he was conducting assessments in a nearby town close to the quake’s epicenter.
On Wednesday, the fire department confirmed that the body of a 13-year-old boy was discovered in the Sacatepéquez Department. Two men lost their lives when their car was buried in a landslide triggered by the earthquake.
Currently, search and rescue operations for the injured and deceased are ongoing. Due to the continuous aftershocks, many families in the affected areas are forced to spend nights on the streets outside their homes.