Country: Guatemala Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Description of the EventDate of event08-07-2025What happened, where and when?On 8 July 2025, the central region of Guatemala was shaken by a series of earthquakes with epicenters located in the departments of Sacatepéquez and Escuintla. These seismic events aected several localities in those departments, as well as municipalities within the department of Guatemala.According to ocial reports, the rst earthquake occurred at 3:11 p.m. with a magnitude of 5.2, triggering a seismic sequence that reached its peak at 3:41 p.m. with a second tremor measuring magnitude 5.6. Both events had their epicenter in Santa María de Jesús, located in the department of Sacatepéquez (1).Information from the National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (INSIVUMEH) indicates that by 15 July— exactly one week after the initial event—a total of 1,062 earthquakes had been recorded, 36 of which were reported as felt by the population. The seismic activity was concentrated primarily along the border area between Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, and Guatemala departments (2).INSIVUMEH further reported that the focal mechanism analysis of the seismic sequence was conducted using FMNEAR software, conrming that the earthquakes were related to ruptures in normal and strike-slip fault systems. The solutions obtained were considered high quality, with condence levels above 70%, providing a high degree of precision to the applied seismic model and allowing for an accurate understanding of the magnitude and characteristics of the events.On the same day, 8 July, the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) announced the declaration of a nationwide Institutional Orange Alert (3). This measure was taken in response to the recent seismic activity as well as the presence of multiple concurrent threats posing risks to the population. As part of the alert, response plans were activated at local, municipal, and departmental levels, and the public was urged to follow the authorities' guidance and act responsibly.On 9 July 2025, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) issued a statement announcing the activation of an Institutional Red Alert for the health service networks in the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, and Guatemala (4). This decision was made within the framework of the "Institutional Operational Protocol for Geological Threats" with the goal of anticipating potential impacts on health infrastructure and ensuring the continuity of essential health services, even in the event of aftershocks or additional seismic events.On 12 July, the Municipal Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (COMRED) declared a Municipal Institutional Red Alert in the municipality of Santa María de Jesús due to the emergency caused by seismic activity (5).Following this declaration, the emergency response became the responsibility of CONRED at the departmental level in Sacatepéquez. In the departments of Escuintla and Guatemala, the response is being coordinated by CONRED at the national level.