A woman comforts a young woman after a strong earthquake hit San Jose, Costa Rica, 8 Jan. 2009

Rescuers in central Costa Rica are trying to reach hundreds of people trapped after a powerful earthquake that killed at least four people.

The 6.1-magnitude quake struck Thursday and was centered about 35 kilometers northwest of the capital of San Jose.

The Costa Rican Red Cross had earlier reported 14 people dead but later lowered the death toll to four, attributing the error to problems with radio communication.

Authorities say the earthquake triggered landslides at the scenic La Paz waterfall and the Poas Volcano National Park, blocking pathways to hotels and villages in the area. Red Cross officials say rescuers were trying to reach those who were trapped, including some 400 tourists and locals.

Television images showed pictures of shattered windows caused by the quake, which interrupted power and cell phone service in some areas.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.