Magnitude 7.7 EL SALVADOR

At least 844 people killed, 4,723 injured, 108,226 houses destroyed and more than 150,000 buildings damaged in El Salvador. About 585 of the deaths were caused by large landslides in Nueva San Salvador and Comasagua. Utilities and roads damaged by more than 16,000 landslides. Damage and injuries occurred in every department of El Salvador. Eight people killed in Guatemala. Felt from Mexico City to Colombia.

The main shock appears to be located within the Caribbean plate above the subducting Cocos plate, and is a normal faulting event. In contrast, the large aftershocks on January 14 and 16 were strike-slip events.

Location Map

Historical Seismicity

Theoretical P-Wave Travel Times

Moment Tensor Solution

Energy and Broadband Solution

Phase (Arrival Time) Data

Aftershocks

Sample Waveforms

Organizations / Response Information

• El Salvador Information Site
• For U.S. citizens seeking information about relatives in El Salvador:
  U.S. State Department 202-647-5225
• For Salvadorians seeking information about their families:
  Crus Roja de El Salvador
  Tel: 011-503-222-7749
  FAX: 011-503-222-7758
• National Emergency Committee (COEN):
  011-503-271-3344
  www.coensv.50megs.com
• United Nations Development Program, in San Salvador, El Salvador
• ReliefWeb
• Worldwide Disaster Relief Aid and Information
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

• Seismic Monitor of Nicaragua
  from Instituto Nicaraguense de Estudios Territoriales (INETER)
• EQE International
• EERI Special Earthquake Report
• Earthquake Research Institute, Univ. of Tokyo, JAPAN Special Event Page
• Strong Motion Records from Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA)