2nd Quake Kills 2, Hurts 5 in Nicaragua

A second strong earthquake in as many days hit Nicaragua on Friday, killing at least two people, injuring five and damaging homes, officials said.

The quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.2, struck at 6:19 p.m. and was centered near the city of Masaya, about 18 miles southeast of the capital, Managua, local seismology officials said.

Representatives for the International Committee of the Red Cross and the country’s civil defense authority said a boy, 6, was killed in Masaya when a wall collapsed on him. A man also was killed by falling debris in Masaya, the authorities said. Five other people were taken to a hospital for treatment.

The quake was felt in Managua, where electricity was cut briefly.

Friday’s temblor came a day after a 5.9 quake hit Nicaragua’s Pacific Coast, killing at least four--all children between the ages of 6 and 9--in the area around Laguna de Apoyo, about 18 miles south of the capital, officials said.

Central America is a volcanically active region prone to earthquakes.