Earthquake Journal Entry

Costa Rica Rocked by Quake (January 12, 2009)

Costa Rica, a tiny nation in southern Central America, was shaken by a deadly magnitude 6.1 earthquake that killed at least 34 people. More than 60 others are missing and feared to be buried below the rubble. The quake destroyed scores of buildings, triggered landslides, and knocked out electrical power. Shaking was felt as far away as central Nicaragua.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the quake's epicenter was 20 miles (30 km) northwest of San Jose. The shallow quake struck at a depth of only 2.8 miles (4.5 km), causing violent shaking on the surface. It hit in the region where the Cocos tectonic plate subducts or dives below the Caribbean plate. This week's quake is the most deadly in the region since a pair of strong quakes rocked El Salvador in January and February 2001.