At 8.48 hours of this Friday July 17 a was recorded magnitude 7.4 earthquakewith an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean and a depth of 10 kilometers, according to a report from the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (Insivumeh).
Due to the shallow depth, the movement was sensitive in several departments of the country, with greater intensity in Retalhuleu, San Marcos and Mazatenango, Suchitepéquez, due to its proximity to the point of origin.
How long did the shaking last? Helen Morán, geologist at the Guatemala Seismological Service at the Mariano Gálvez University, pointed out that It is not possible to assign a single duration time to the earthquakesince the rupture in the fault that caused it occurs in a relatively short interval, but the seismic waves continue to propagate and can be recorded for several minutes on seismographs.
He added that the duration of the strong movement may vary depending on the location of each person with respect to the epicenter of the tremor and the conditions of the terrain where they are located.
Therefore, some people were able to perceive the earthquake for longer than others.
It wasn’t the first
The Insivumeh report indicates that, before the earthquake registered at 8:48 a.m., another occurred at 7:20 a.m. in the same area of the Pacific Ocean, which was considered premonitory, since minutes later the largest magnitude occurred.
Preliminary information from Insivumeh indicated that the second earthquake had a magnitude of 5.6 and occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers. A later update indicated that it reached a magnitude of 7.4 and that it was also sensitive in areas of Mexico, such as Chiapas.
In a press conference, Edwin Rojas, director of the institution, ruled out that it was a seismic swarm. He explained that a main earthquake occurred and several replicas that, until 3 p.m. this Friday, July 17, there were 42with magnitudes between 3.4 and 6.1some sensitive in the south of the country.