An 6.1 earthquake shook Nicaragua last night caused panic amongst the population and damages to some homes. The United States Geological Service registered the earthquakeโs epicenter 17 km east of Puerto Morazรกn in Chinandega, close to the border of Honduras. It was felt both in Honduras and El Salvador.
โThe earthquake was felt practically throughout the country (..) it was a huge earthquake, unusually strongโ, declared the spokesperson of the president of Nicaragua, the first lady Rosario Murillo, to media officials.
โThere was a lot of nervousness and many worried peopleโ, she added. The Nicaraguan Institute of Earth Studies (INETER) reported that the earthquake was followed by another smaller 4.5 earthquake.
INETER said that the strong earthquake had its epicenter 22 km Northeast from San Cristรณbal Volcano, in Chinandega, with a depth of 2.3 km. The second occurred 14 minutes afterย 15 km Northeast of the same volcano with a depth of 7.2 km according to INETER.
Murillo said that the shake was followed by at least 80 small replicas that caused damage to some homes and that for the time being there havenโt been any reported human injuries.
The government boosted public aid as a way of helping and the united civil defense and national army suspended classes in the areas of Chinandega and Leรณn, in the West of the country.ย