A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck El Salvador on Sunday at 9:50 PM local time. The epicenter was located 9 km south of the Conchagua district in La Unión Department, about 180 km southeast of San Salvador. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the earthquake’s depth at 15.4 km. The seismic movement occurred due to the activation of local geological faults and its shallow nature, as stated by El Salvador’s Ministry of Environment.
The tremor’s impact extended beyond El Salvador’s borders. It was felt in Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, and reports indicate it was also experienced in Nicaragua. According to the USGS PAGER system, approximately 12,000 people were exposed to very strong shaking, while 97,000 people experienced strong shaking.
Following the main quake, three additional earthquakes ranging from 3.5 to 3.9 in magnitude were recorded in the same area minutes later. The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 4.4 aftershock approximately seven minutes after the main quake. Light to moderate aftershocks are likely over the coming days.
As of December 9, there were no initial reports of casualties or significant damage. However, it’s important to note that comprehensive damage assessments may take several hours, especially in remote areas. In response to the earthquake, Civil Protection reported that it began monitoring various locations in the country. Salvadoran civil protection authorities activated emergency protocols for the quake.
Authorities may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during these shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake’s epicenter. The Ministry of Environment assured that there was no tsunami alert, and no tsunami warning was triggered as a result of this earthquake.
