Moderate aftershock to April earthquake shakes U.S.-Mexico border

September 14th, 2010 - 6:36 pm ICT by BNO News  

GUADALUPE VICTORIA, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) — A moderate earthquake struck the U.S.-Mexico border on early Tuesday morning, seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The 5.4-magnitude earthquake at 3.52 a.m. local time (1052 GMT) was centered about 20 miles (33 kilometers) south-southwest of Guadalupe Victoria, a town in the Mexican state of Baja California. It struck about 7.1 miles (11.5 kilometers) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the California Integrated Seismic Network.

The epicenter of Tuesday’s earthquake was located not far from the epicenter of a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake that rocked the U.S.-Mexico border on April 4, killing four people and injuring more than 100 others.

A geophysicist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said Tuesday’s earthquake was considered to be an aftershock to the earthquake in April. “We still see earthquakes in this region, although generally they are smaller than this one,” the geophysicist told BNO News.

The USGS estimated that approximately 200 people likely perceived strong shaking as a result of the earthquake, which could potentially result in light to moderate damage depending on the construction of buildings. “Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction,” the agency said.

The USGS further estimated that approximately 13,000 people likely perceived moderate earthquake shaking, while nearly 1.5 million others may have felt light to weak earthquake shaking.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

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