Tsunami warning in Nicaragua following earthquake as Hurricane Otto bears down

A strong earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America shook the region Thursday, prompting a tsunami warning for Nicaragua.

The quake and tsunami warning come while Nicaragua was hit by the dangerous Category 2 Hurricane Otto.

READ MORE: Evacuations ordered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica ahead of Hurricane Otto

0:56 Costa Ricans braces for Hurricane Otto

The 7.2 magnitude quake struck at a depth of 33 kilometers, some 154 kilometers south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Pacific tsunami warning center said “hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometers of the earthquake epicenter.”

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READ MORE: Late-season storm Otto strengthens to hurricane; 3 dead in Panama

Earlier on Thursday, category 2 Hurricane Otto hit land near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where thousands had already been evacuated away from vulnerable areas and into shelters.