(QCOSTARICA) — Within hours, four earthquakes, the most intense at 4.8, were recorded in Cartago last night.
The first tremor, a 4.8 on the Richter Scale, was felt at 8:50pm. Two other quakes, originating along the Llano Grande fault were registered at 8:19pm (3.7), at 8:35pm (3.2), and at 9:25pm (3.6).
The origin of the quakes were shallow, at a depth between 1.8 km to 5 km from the surface says the Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN), of the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR).
The main quake, caused by a local fault, with a history of earthquakes of this magnitude, according to the RSN, was felt through the Central Valley.
Experts are not relating the quakes to the nearly Turrialba volcano that has increased activity since last October and with constant eruptions since the big one last March.
Quake on the Pacific coast
At the OVSICORI, in the area of Parrita, on the Pacific coast, south of Jaco, a 4.5 quake was recorded at 5:49pm, with its epicenter 27 km southwest of Parrita, at a depth of 31 kilometres.