5.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Guatemala, according to USGS

(Reuters) – A 5.8 magnitude earthquake shook buildings in Guatemala and El Salvador on Thursday, according to a preliminary report from the United States Seismological Service (USGS), causing panic scenes among the population, according to Reuters witnesses.

The USGS reported that the tremor was registered at 10.56 a.m. local time, with its epicenter in the Pacific Ocean near the coast of Guatemala and its border with El Salvador and at a depth of 47 kilometers.

“The corresponding monitoring is being carried out to determine if there are material or personal damages,” David de León, spokesman for the Guatemalan Civil Protection agency, told the media.

Authorities of El Salvador detailed that, as a preventive measure, evacuations of personnel from government offices were carried out, without giving further details for the time being.