SAN JOSÉ, Escuintla Department — A 5.6 magnitude quake struck close to Puerto San José on Tuesday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The USGS reported a tremor in the region at 14:54 UTC (08:54 local time). The epicenter was roughly 43 km south of Puerto San José, at a depth of 35 km.

Did you feel it?

If you noticed the earthquake, you can share your observations using the USGS Felt Report form. 3 people have submitted responses through the agency’s online form, reporting they experienced the quake.

Impact and estimated losses

The USGS categorized this as a Green Alert, which means there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) construction.

Last week’s tremor

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake was registered in the area, with the event occurring close to La Gomera on Nov. 7.

Area struck by 7.5 quake in 1976
The area has weathered major earthquakes before. A magnitude 7.5 quake struck 4.3 miles north of Los Amates in Los Amates on Feb. 4, 1976, at a depth of 3.1 miles.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey