Nicaragua: Expert Predicts Powerful Quake

Submitted by LillyC on 18 June, 2008 - 18:24.

Managua, Jun 17 (Prensa Latina) The fall in earth tremors in Nicaragua is alarming experts, who fear the occurrence of a huge movement to release accumulated energy, said Wilfried Strauch, Geophysics Director General of INETER (the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies.)

At least 1,517 tremors were registered in 2006, and last year the figure fell to 1,250, according to INETER reports.

Strauch said that the "seismic silence" remains, as no strong, alarming tremor has been reported in nearly a year and a half.

An unpredictable, powerful quake can be expected after a long period of calm, he noted.

The latest event registered, measuring 4.7 degrees on the Richter scale, was located in the Pacific, off Costa Rica, 118 miles from Managua, on Sunday.