Agenzia Fides

San Marcos (Agenzia Fides) - The earthquake of 7.4 on the Richter scale that hit yesterday, Wednesday, November 7, the northern part of Guatemala has caused 48 deaths. This was announced by the President of Guatemala, Otto Perez Molina, in a message to the whole nation, after having visited the disaster areas. According to the Head of State there are 155 who are seriously injured and 23 missing. From the information sent to Fides Agency, the displaced are about 17,000. The President said in his message that this earthquake is the second in intensity after the earthquake of February 4, 1976, which caused 23,000 deaths and more than one million homeless.
At a national level the "red alert" for fear of aftershocks has not yet been revoked. The earthquake caused the interruption of electricity, water and telecommunications in areas west of the country. Two landslides have interrupted the Inter-American highway preventing the passage to vehicles that were on their way to the affected areas. The earthquake was so strong that it was also felt in Mexico and El Salvador. (CE) (Agenzia Fides 08/11/2012)