Strong and shallow M6.1 earthquake hits off the coast of El Salvador

el-salvador-earthquake-october-28-2018

A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.1 hit off the coast of El Salvador at 22:23 UTC on October 28, 2018. The agency is reporting a depth of 24.7 km (15 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 56 km (34.8 miles).

The epicenter was located 93 km (58 miles) SW of Acajutla (population 22 763) and 111 km (69 miles) SW of Sonsonate (population 59 468), El Salvador.

There are about 120 000 people living within 100 km (62 miles).

Some 613 000 people are estimated to have felt light shaking and 35 013 000 weak.

The quake did not produce a tsunami.

There are no reports of damage or casualties, Carlos Lopez Mendoza of the Salvadoran Red Cross said.

The USGS issued a green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses.

There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and adobe block with concrete bond beam construction.

Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Featured image credit: EMSC, USGS

Share:

Commenting rules and guidelines

We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:

  • Treat others with kindness and respect.
  • Stay on topic and contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.
  • Do not use abusive or hateful language.
  • Do not spam or promote unrelated products or services.
  • Do not post any personal information or content that is illegal, obscene, or otherwise inappropriate.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *