Two Guatemalans Died After Rockfall Caused by Earthquakes
Destruction caused by earthquakes in Guatemala, July 8, 2025. X/ @azucenau
July 9, 2025 Hour: 7:52 am
President Arevalo suspended public school classes on Wednesday and ordered remote work for those who are able to do so.
On Wednesday, the Guatemalan government confirmed the deaths of two men who were traveling in a vehicle when it was crushed by a giant boulder following a landslide triggered by two earthquakes that struck Tuesday afternoon.
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The deaths occurred on a road connecting the departments of Escuintla and Sacatepequez. The Volunteer Fire Department reported that a massive rock fell on the vehicle carrying the two men, ages 53 and 20.
On Tuesday, Guatemala was shaken by two earthquakes measuring 5.2 and 5.7 in magnitude on the Richter scale. The quakes caused minor damage to some properties near the epicenters. The earthquakes occurred between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. local time and were followed by several smaller aftershocks.
According to the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology, the epicenters of the quakes were in the southern part of the country, specifically in the department of Escuintla, about 30 miles south of the capital.
The text reads, “Guatemala: This afternoon, a strong 5.2 magnitude earthquake left devastation in various homes and businesses in the center and interior of the Central American country.”
“The safety of our families is the priority. After the earthquake, take precautions, follow the instructions of the authorities and the established protocols. We will be deployed to assist the population with calm and responsibility. Report any damage to 119 at the National Coordination for Disaster Reduction,” Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo wrote on social media.
He later ordered the suspension of classes in public schools and directed that those who could work from home on Wednesday. Authorities have reported some minor damage to properties near the epicenters, mainly in Sacatepequez and Escuintla.
On May 12, another strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 was felt across nearly the entire country, causing minor damage to some properties in the department of San Marcos, which borders Mexico, as well as small landslides on some highways. Guatemala’s last major earthquake, a 7.5-magnitude temblor, occurred in February 1976 and left an estimated 23,000 people dead, according to official figures.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
