The phenomenon is caused by geological faults in this area. By 6:00 am Thursday (local time), seismographs reported 621 tremors in the district of Conchagua and surrounding areas, in the department of La Union, in the aftermath of an earthquake of 5.8 of magnitude on the Richter scale, which shook the region last Sunday night.
Locals felt up to 138 tremors, including one reported on Wednesday, with a magnitude of 3.2 but at a depth of only 9.7 kilometers.
The first tremor, with a magnitude of 5.8, were registered five kilometers deep, triggering great alarm among the inhabitants of the area.
So far, Civil Protection authorities report material damage in at least 180 houses, nearly 10 them flattened and another 40 houses left uninhabitable.
On Thursday, locals keep fearing new tremors, as most of them live in houses with adobe walls.
MARN’s latest reports indicate that the tremors could last until next week and do not rule out a movement equal or higher than 5.8 magnitude.
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