Earthquake in Guatemala

My blogger friend Lou is in Guatemala City with her precious daughter Anne Pearce and she just posted that there was an earthquake in Guatemala. I almost think it is better for me not to know about these things. Reminds me of a few months ago when my dad called (on the weekend when I could not contact our agency!) telling me about the huge sink hole in Guatemala. Lou said they were all OK at the Marriott, so I will try not to worry.

Here's what CNN is reporting:

(CNN) -- A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Wednesday just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Early reports indicated some homes were damaged and people may be missing, journalist Patzy Vazquez told CNN en Español.

Torrential rains have made telephone communication difficult, hampering efforts of rescuers trying to reach the region.

The USGS has received no confirmed reports of damage or casualties, and no immediate reports of aftershocks, the agency's Rafael Abreu told CNN.

As a precaution, authorities were evacuating high-rise buildings and homes that might be vulnerable to damage if there were any aftershocks.

The quake struck at 1:29 p.m. (3:29 p.m. ET), about 70 miles from the capital, Guatemala City.

The quake's intensity, according to the USGS, was such that it was also felt in El Salvador.

The quake's epicenter was about 40 miles below the Earth's surface, the USGS said. Earthquakes centered closer to the Earth's surface generally can cause more damage.

In this case, the quake's depth and distance from shore are likely to limit the extent of the damage, Abreu said. "Had it been closer to the surface, then you would expect, certainly, more critical effects," he said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said a Pacific-wide tsunami was not expected.

The disaster coordination team was trying to contact local municipalities, Benedicto Giron, a spokesman for the nation's disaster coordination agency, told CNN en Español.

Earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or greater are considered "strong" by the USGS.

CNN meteorologist Chad Myers noted that seismographs on Midway Island -- in the north Pacific, some 1,800 miles away from Guatemala City -- registered the earthquake.

The seismograph detected the shaking about seven minutes after the quake struck, he said.

On Friday, a 5.8-magnitude quake struck offshore Guatemala in almost the same spot, the USGS said. Its epicenter was about 60 miles from Guatemala City.