China News Service, February 17. According to foreign media reports, the relevant authorities in Guatemala said that at 1:12 local time on February 16, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake occurred in western Guatemala.
The earthquake affected nearly 25,000 people and killed three people from heart attacks.
The epicentre of the quake was in the coastal area of Escuintla, southwest of the capital, Guatemala City.
According to reports, the epicenter of the quake was located in the coastal area of Esquintra, less than 100 kilometers southwest of the capital Guatemala City, at a depth of 84 kilometers.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake had a magnitude of 6.2, but authorities in Guatemala reported a stronger 6.8, followed by a magnitude 4.8 aftershock.
The powerful quake caused landslides, damaged many houses and left about 31,300 people without power, according to aid agencies.
Soldiers and local residents clear roads blocked by landslides.
Local officials said the three women's heart attack deaths were related to the earthquake, but did not specify a link.
The quake was felt in El Salvador, which borders Guatemala, and southern Mexico.
Located at the intersection of three tectonic plates, Guatemala is in an earthquake-prone zone.
In 2021, more than 125 earthquakes were recorded in Guatemala, but there were no casualties or major damage.