Earthquake hits Costa Rica

A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Costa Rica at approximately 1321 local time (1921 UTC) on 8 January 2009. The quake was centered approximately 22 mi/35 km from San Jose and 86 mi/138 km from Liberia. Authorities evacuated several tall buildings in the downtown area, including the Banco de Costa Rica building, as a precaution. The earthquake triggered landslides near the Poas Volcano National Park, a popular tourist destination that is located approximately 40 mi/65 km northwest of San Jose. More than 300 foreign tourists are still trapped at the Waterfall Garden hotel in the nearby town of Vara Blanca; emergency workers are continuing efforts to reach the area. Juan Santamaria International Airport (MROC/SJO) briefly suspended flights immediately after the earthquake. At least 14 people died as a result of the earthquake. A state of emergency has been declared in an area encompassing San Jose, Cartago, Alajuela and Heredia, where there has been significant damage to roads and bridges. Travellers should anticipate possible ground transportation delays and possible aftershocks in the area in the coming days.