http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/powerful-earthquake-reported-costa-rica-17159520

Learn to use Google for current news. This new article is 6 minutes old.

The USGS said the 8:42 a.m. quake struck about 38 miles (60 kilometers) from the town of Liberia and 88 miles (141 kilometers) west of the capital, San Jose. It was centered about 25 miles (41 kilometers) below the surface,

It's headlining the news sites now: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/05/world/americas/costa-rica-earthquake/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

We were just in Ostional/Nosara area over Labor Day--left yesterday.

I hope everyone is okay. Some of the newer buildings are built pretty solidly. A lot aren't, and if that 7.9 rating holds, it's hard to imagine there wasn't loss of life.

RAC - reclassified as a 7.6 so still very strong.

Good updates here:

http://insidecostarica.com/2012/09/05/breaking-estimated-7-9-earthquake-strikes-costa-rica/

The epicenter was near the town of Hojancha in the center of the Nicoya peninsula, not far from Samara and Nosara. It took place at 8:42 this morning, and the magnitude has been revised downward to 7.6, still a very strong earthwuake. There is report of structural damage but there are no known casualties yet.

Good news--no apparent damage for our hotel over the weekend. They were very close to the epicenter, so hopefully that's a sign.

The first casualty has been reported: A man in Liberia died of a heart attack. Granted, that's "tangential" to the earthquake, rather than a direct injury, but still sad nonetheless.

7.6 - holy cow!

The last big one in San Francisco was 6.9 with lots of damage, mortality, and fires. I hope for much better results in Costa Rica.

Thanks for the updates, everyone. It's amazing that there wasn't a greater loss of life. Good news.

Building codes save lives.

I heard that two people died.

It was on our National News.

Maybe Jeff can give us an update.!

I'm in the U.S. this week so I missed it.

The death toll still stands at two. Any death is sad, of course, but that number is remarkable for an earthquake of this magnitude. RAC is right: You have to give Costa Rica credit for its stringent building codes. They have helped minimize casualties in these situations.

Going there next week. One news report stated 20 were hurt. Thank God no more than that. We will be staying in San Jose.

Oh no, another quake today - is everything okay?

We felt it shake down in San Isidro de General, not much but a minor shake. Carry on!

...doomed to relive history!

Was skyping with my daughter last night who was near San Jose. She said the house was shaking a bit.

Since the quake reported in this post was on September 5, maybe this and bulldog2's reports of feeling it were really just after, after shocks!