A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Costa Rica Thursday, killing at least four people.

A 12-year-old girl was buried at home in Fraijanes and a woman died of heart attack in the strong tremor.

Two other girls who had been selling candies were found dead in a landslide caused by the quake.

In addition, authorities have lost contact with 200 foreign tourists at Poas Volcano due to disruption of communication lines.

The quake with the highest magnitude in three decades hit the country at 13:21 local time (1921 GMT). According to a report of the Vulcanology and Seismology Observatory of the National University Ovsicori, the epicenter was some six km east of the Poas Volcano and 25 km northwest of San Jose with a depth of 30 km.

Roads and houses have been damaged with communication disrupted in the epicenter and the surrounding areas, including the country's capital San Jose.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2009)