On April 19th...
M7.5 - Guatemala, 1902
One of the world's deadliest earthquakes. This earthquake lasted perhaps 30 to 40 seconds and caused some 2,000 deaths in Quelzaltenango. The earthquake coincided with a torrential rainstorm, and the city lost electrical power and lighting. The resulting darkness reportedly led to numerous deaths when townspeople, fleeing buildings and running into the street, were unable to see where they were going and perished when walls fell on them. The heavy rainfall also resulted in deaths from drowning. Shocks and rainfall continued for three days, making relief work difficult or impossible. This quake also caused damage in Mexico at Tapachula, Chiapas. It was felt as far away as Jalapa, Veracruz and Mexico City. The duration in Mexico was estimated at one to one and a half minutes.
From The Encyclopdeia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, by David Ritchie.
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