[h=3]By LESLIE JOSEPHS[/h]A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook Costa Rica Wednesday, injuring at least 10 people and damaging roadways and schools, officials said.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 8:42 a.m. quake struck about 38 miles (60 kilometers) from the town of Liberia and 88 miles west of the capital, San José. A tsunami warning was initially issued for Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Chile, but it was later canceled.
Rebeca Madrigal, a spokeswoman for Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission confirmed there were at least 10 people injured, and said one woman died from a heart attack after the earthquake.
The National Emergency Commission said schools in the country's Pacific region were damaged, many with cracks in the walls and that government engineers were evaluating them on a "case by case" basis to determine if students can return to classes.
The earthquake also sparked landslides on roadways in western Costa Rica, and sparked power and water outages in the Pacific region, authorities said.
Omar Segura, a spokesman for the Public Works and Transportation Ministry said a bridge across the Chirripo River in northern Costa Rica collapsed, isolating a small community there.
"We understand that is the only access (point) they have," Mr. Segura said.
Victor Manuel Zúñiga, a worker at the Samara Tree House Inn, a six-apartment luxury complex near the epicenter, said plates and televisions fell from the wall and employees and guests ran out screaming, but that no structural damage or injuries have been found. He said the hotel lost power.
"The guests were eating breakfast. It was very strong," he said.
Some 200 guests were evacuated from the Four Seasons resort on the northern coast, but the hotel is operating normally, said general manager Pascal Forotti.
There was no immediate reports of damage to Costa Rica's coffee fields, said Warner Villegas, spokesman of the Costa Rican Coffee Institute.
"We don't have any reports of damage to plantations," he said. Much of Costa Rica's arabica coffee is grown in the country's central highlands, away from the quake's epicenter.
The last major earthquake to strike Costa Rica was on Jan. 8, 2009, killing 40 people, according to the USGS.
Write to Leslie Josephs at [email protected]
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 8:42 a.m. quake struck about 38 miles (60 kilometers) from the town of Liberia and 88 miles west of the capital, San José. A tsunami warning was initially issued for Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua and Chile, but it was later canceled.
Rebeca Madrigal, a spokeswoman for Costa Rica's National Emergency Commission confirmed there were at least 10 people injured, and said one woman died from a heart attack after the earthquake.
The National Emergency Commission said schools in the country's Pacific region were damaged, many with cracks in the walls and that government engineers were evaluating them on a "case by case" basis to determine if students can return to classes.
The earthquake also sparked landslides on roadways in western Costa Rica, and sparked power and water outages in the Pacific region, authorities said.
Omar Segura, a spokesman for the Public Works and Transportation Ministry said a bridge across the Chirripo River in northern Costa Rica collapsed, isolating a small community there.
"We understand that is the only access (point) they have," Mr. Segura said.
Victor Manuel Zúñiga, a worker at the Samara Tree House Inn, a six-apartment luxury complex near the epicenter, said plates and televisions fell from the wall and employees and guests ran out screaming, but that no structural damage or injuries have been found. He said the hotel lost power.
"The guests were eating breakfast. It was very strong," he said.
Some 200 guests were evacuated from the Four Seasons resort on the northern coast, but the hotel is operating normally, said general manager Pascal Forotti.
There was no immediate reports of damage to Costa Rica's coffee fields, said Warner Villegas, spokesman of the Costa Rican Coffee Institute.
"We don't have any reports of damage to plantations," he said. Much of Costa Rica's arabica coffee is grown in the country's central highlands, away from the quake's epicenter.
The last major earthquake to strike Costa Rica was on Jan. 8, 2009, killing 40 people, according to the USGS.
Write to Leslie Josephs at [email protected]