In a matter of 12 hours, 90 aftershocks were registered after the earthquake near Jacó at 8:54 p.m. of this past Tuesday, which had a magnitude of 5.3 degrees. This was confirmed by the expert from the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (Ovsicori), Walter Jiménez, who indicated that the most important reply occurred at 10:37 p.m. with a magnitude of 4.1 degrees. The location of the main event was recorded 30 kilometers southwest of Jacó.
“Historically, the area has presented a lot of microseismicity in this area, the coupling between the Coco and Caribe plates is very weak and that favors normal background seismic activity. “The event of yesterday (Tuesday) enters with these characteristics, so we can classify it as part of the normal seismicity that occurs in the area,” said the expert.
Historic record
Jiménez said that there is a recorded history of various seismic movements in the area, for example:
August 2020, earthquake of 6.4 degrees
November 2017, earthquake of 6.1 degrees
March 1990, 7-degree earthquake (main reference)
“The area is highly seismic, yesterday’s event and all its aftershocks fall within a framework of what is normal in the area,” said the expert.
In the Ovsicori they indicate that the reports that were received after the main event came from various sectors such as Pérez Zeledón, Central Valley, Central Pacific and some areas of Guanacaste such as Nicoya, Nandayure and Santa Cruz. In the case of aftershocks, it is expected that they will last for two or three days and that as the hours go by, their quantity and magnitude will decrease.
