8 November 2012 Last updated at 09:34

In pictures: Guatemala earthquake

At least 48 people died after a strong earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Guatemala.

A car remains under the ruins of a collapsed house in San Marcos

The worst affected region was San Marcos, near the border with Mexico.

Damage in San Marcos, Guatemala, 7 Nov 2012

Some buildings crumbled when the 7.4-magnitude quake struck on Wednesday morning. The tremor was felt hundreds of kilometres away in Mexico and El Salvador.

Firefighters transport a wounded resident in Guatemala

Dozens of people were also injured by the quake which struck a mountainous region of Guatemala.

Search for survivors at sand quarry in San Marcos, Guatemala.

Hundreds of rescuers rushed to a sand quarry where seven people were feared buried, including a six-year-old boy. By night-time, his body and that of another victim had been found.

Many roads in the region became impassable.

The authorities advised people to leave tall or crowded buildings and take precautions given the risk of aftershocks.

Firefighters carry two bodies from the rubble in Sam Marcos

Rescue efforts continued throughout Wednesday night to locate people trapped amid the debris and recover bodies.

A relative of an injured person sits on the floor of a public hospital in the town of San Marcos, northern Guatemala, 7 November2012.

It was an anxious night for local people as they waited for news of injured or missing loved ones, as aftershocks continued to rumble. The government has declared three days of national mourning.

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In pictures: Guatemala earthquake

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