New 6.6-magnitude quake hits Nicaragua

MANAGUA: A 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit Nicaragua´s Pacific region on Friday, one day after a quake of similar magnitude in the area left one person dead. An initial official report said the new earthquake had caused no known deaths or damage. The quake struck at 2:29 pm (2029 GMT) at a depth of 138 kilometers (86 miles), according to the US Geological Survey. The epicenter was 24 kilometers south of Granada and 56 kilometers southeast of the capital Managua, the USGS said. Tremors were felt as far away as neighboring El Salvador and Costa Rica´s northern Guanacaste province. Thursday´s 6.1-magnitude quake, also centered in the Pacific coast region of Nicaragua, killed one person, left 33 people injured and damaged more than 800 homes, the government said.