International News

MANAGUA, (APP/AFP) – A strong 6.1 magnitude
earthquake and at least four major aftershocks shook northwestern
Nicaragua on Thursday night, triggering panic among residents and
damaging some homes, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The quake struck at 9:25 pm (0325 GMT), centered 17 kilometers
(10.5 miles) east of Puerto Morazan near the Honduras border at a
depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological
Survey.
It was followed by four weaker aftershocks over the course of
about an hour, USGS said.
“The quake was felt almost throughout the country,”
government spokeswoman and First Lady Rosario Murillo said,
calling it “unusually strong.”
She urged residents to stay calm, warning of the threat
of more aftershocks.