Fallas y placas tectónicas: geólogo detalla el origen de los sismos en Guatemala

Geological engineer Manuel Mota pointed out that Guatemala is crossed by the Motagua Fault, which connects the North American and Caribbean Plates, and by the subduction zone on the Pacific coast where the Cocos Plate slides beneath the Caribbean Plate, generating two main types of seismic events in the country. In addition, there is normal movement that manifests in the Valley of Guatemala, where faults at the western and eastern outlets generate vertical displacements between plates, while in the subduction zone, events occur that can be very deep in the continental area or shallower in the coastal area. These tectonic processes determine the characteristics of each earthquake, including its magnitude, depth, and the level of impact on different regions of the country.