Great
Earthquakes In Diverse Places
Strong 6.0 -Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Nicaragua
11/8/2011 1:32 AM ET
(RTTNews) - A 6.0-magnitude earthquake has struck Nicaragua's
southern region, the the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported
late on Monday.
The quake struck at a depth of some 115 miles at about 4:35 p.m.
local time, with its epicenter located 45 miles southeast of
capital Managua, the USGS said.
Although the tremor was felt across Nicaragua as well in several
parts of neighboring Costa Rica, authorities in both countries
have said that there were no immediate reports of any casualties
or damages.
The quake came as Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega was set to
win a controversial third term. Preliminary results of the
recently concluded presidential election showed that he was far
ahead of his opponents securing more than 60 percent of the votes.
His closest rival Fabio Gadea, a popular radio personality
representing the Independent Liberal Party (PLI), could win only
25 percent votes. Former President and liberal leader Arnoldo
Aleman, who was convicted of corruption in 2003, came third
winning just six per cent.
Gadea has since alleged electoral fraud, saying he had
"well-founded suspicions that a fraud of an unprecedented nature
and proportions" had occurred during the election process.
He said PLI could not accept the results declared by the Electoral
Council as they "do not reflect the will of the people, but that
of the Electoral Council."
Ortega, a firm ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has ruled
the Central American country for 16 years since his Sandinista
movement overthrew dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979.
The Leftist leader first became Nicaragua's President in 1985, and
won a second term in 2007. The 65-year-old leader was able to vie
for a third term with the support of a Supreme Court verdict in
2009, which declared the country's two-term presidential limit
invalid.
The European Union observer mission expressed disappointment over
Sunday's election, which was marred by violence and allegations of
fraud. Head of the mission from the Organization of American
States, Dante Caputo is reported to have said that his team was
kept out of many polling stations.
"They have prevented our people from being there at the precise
moment they should have been there and that is not remediable and
will affect our ability to do our jobs. We are navigating without
radar," Caputo was quoted as saying.