Strong magnitude 6.7 earthquake rocks Nicaragua coast

A powerful earthquake has struck off the western coast of Nicaragua, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

No tsunami threat was immediately reported following the earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 6.7. The quake struck at 1:42 am local time (07:42 GMT) on Thursday at a depth of 25.3km (15.7 miles),

with the epicenter, about 61km (38 miles) from the coastal region of Masachapa, USGS data showed. According to Reuters, tremors were also reported in Nicaragua’s Central American neighbors El Salvador and Costa Rica, USGS said. The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) earlier said the quake was magnitude 6.9 and closer to the surface.