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Recent earthquakes in El Salvador
Was there an earthquake in El Salvador today? Check reported USGS epicentres, times, magnitudes and depths, or choose a longer period.
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Latest earthquakes
UpdatedUpdates every minute while this page is visible
No known events in this window
This describes the available catalogue, not an all-clear. Try a longer period or check the latest known event below.
The last 30 days
- Latest recorded earthquake
- No records in 30 days
- Strongest in 30 days
- No records in 30 days
- Earthquakes in the catalogue
- 0USGS
- Magnitude 4.5 or larger
- 0M ≥ 4.5
Data from USGS, updated automatically. This is not a warning; official alerts come from national authorities. Times are shown in El Salvador time (UTC−6).
Where earthquakes happen in El Salvador
Offshore: subduction
Off La Libertad, Usulután and La Unión the Cocos Plate sinks beneath the Caribbean Plate. The strongest earthquakes come from here, such as 13 January 2001 (M7.7 at 60 km depth) and the M7.3 events of 2012 and 2014.
The volcanic chain: shallow earthquakes
The El Salvador fault zone follows the volcanoes. Its shallow earthquakes are moderate in size but destructive: the 1986 San Salvador earthquake (M5.7, about 7 km deep) killed more than a thousand people.
Slopes and volcanic soils
Loose volcanic ash soils give way easily in shaking. In 2001 a landslide buried the Las Colinas neighbourhood of Santa Tecla.
Major earthquakes
The largest earthquakes recorded in El Salvador or off its coast since 1900, according to the USGS:
- 7.7Mw
- 7.7Mwc
- 7.3Mww
- 7.3Mww
- 7.3Mw
- 6.7Mw
Travelling in El Salvador
The surf beaches around El Tunco and La Libertad face the subduction zone: strong or long shaking means move inland or uphill at once. On roads through the hills, watch for rockfall and landslides after shaking.
The official report comes from the MARN hazard observatory; Protección Civil coordinates emergencies. El Salvador uses UTC−6 all year.
Frequently asked questions
When was the last earthquake in El Salvador?
The first panel shows the latest earthquake in the catalogue in El Salvador time.
What was the strongest earthquake in El Salvador?
In the USGS catalogue, the 1915 earthquake and the 13 January 2001 earthquake offshore, both magnitude 7.7.
Why are smaller earthquakes sometimes more destructive?
Shallow earthquakes directly beneath a city shake it harder than larger ones far offshore and deep; the 1986 San Salvador earthquake is an example.
Latest known event
Latest known event · America/El_Salvador
Sources and coverage
Source: USGS · GeoNames · CC BY 4.0 · Natural Earth
The location is the reported epicentre. Offshore context is separate from a position inside a country. Small-event coverage varies by region.
Historical context
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
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