GUATEMALA CITY (AP)  A powerful earthquake that shook Guatemala and parts of El Salvador on caused traffic chaos in Guatemala City, damaged some houses and generated landslides outside the capital. But officials said there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries from the 6.8 magnitude quake that struck Wednesday afternoon southwest of Guatemala City. Aid workers across Guatemala reported only minor damage to homes in a couple of rural communities, according to Francois de la Roche, Latin America's director for humanitarian and emergency affairs for the aid organization World Vision. "I didn't notice it at first but then felt this long, swaying motion back and forward," de la Roche said in a telephone interview from Antigua, Guatemala. The quake struck at 1:29 p.m. local time and was centered 70 miles southwest of Guatemala City off the Pacific coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Guatemala's seismology institute said the quake lasted 49 seconds. In Guatemala City, people fled buildings into the streets following the quake, throwing traffic into chaos in the sprawling capital city. "It rattled a lot of nerves," said Benedicto Giron, spokesman for the National Disaster Reduction Center. Outside the capital, landslides were reported in the southwest province of Escuintla, but they apparently caused no casualties, Giron said. He added, however, that phone service was knocked out in some areas and information was only trickling in slowly. The quake was felt strongly in neighboring El Salvador, where people ran into the streets in the capital of San Salvador, but the Red Cross there said it had no reports of damage or injury. It was also felt in the Mexican city of Tapachula along the Guatemalan border. The Geological Survey said the earthquake could have caused damage due to its location and size. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center based in Hawaii said no tsunami was expected from the quake. The region is prone to earthquakes. One of Guatemala's most devastating quakes was in 1976 when nearly 23,000 people died. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Conversation guidelines: USA TODAY welcomes your thoughts, stories and information related to this article. Please stay on topic and be respectful of others. Keep the conversation appropriate for interested readers across the map.
Shake map showing epicenter and quake intensity.
At 19:29:46 UTC (2:29:46 local time), an earthquake estimated by the United States Geological Survey at a magnitude of 6.8 struck just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, approximately 115 km (70 miles) south-southwest of Guatemala City. The USGS estimates the depth at 64.8 km (40.3 miles).

"It has not caused any damage, there is no damage reported," said emergency services spokesman for Guatemala's emergency response team, Benedicto Giron.

Despite the claims of no damage, the swaying of buildings, damages to houses, collapsing buildings and mudslides are being reported in Guatemala. Buildings also swayed in El Salvador. There are no reports of injures or deaths, but the USGS reports that damage in the area could be moderate to heavy.

"There are no reports of damage or casualties at this time; however, this earthquake may have caused damage due to its location and size," said a statement posted on the USGS website.

A Red Cross spokesman in El Salvador, Carlos Lopez says that there are no reports of damage or injuries in El Salvador. 

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a bulletin stating that there was little risk of a tsunami; the bulletin listed the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.0.

"The earthquake was too deep to generate a tsunami hazard. We don't think there is going to be a dangerous Pacific-wide tsunami but we will monitor the situation," said spokesman for the NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, David Walsh.

On June 8, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Guatemala in the same region 100 km (60 miles) south-southwest of Guatemala City.