Costa Rica: Magnitude-6.2 offshore earthquake occurs west of Guanacaste Province Oct. 12

A magnitude-6.2 earthquake occurred off the northwestern coast of Costa Rica at around 12:43 Oct. 12. The epicenter was about 42 km (26 miles) northwest of Tamarindo, Guanacaste Province. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 18 km (12 miles), and moderate shaking was probably felt in western coastal areas of Guanacaste Province, as well as light shaking throughout parts of northwestern Costa Rica and southwestern Nicaragua. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light-to-moderate aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.