What the record shows for El Salvador
The strongest earthquake on record near El Salvador is a magnitude 7.7 in 1992, centred 83 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua - 34 years ago. The event is catalogued by USGS. See the event record.
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 3,283 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 300 km of El Salvador - roughly 164 a year. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
The NOAA NCEI database records 21 tsunamis within 300 km of El Salvador between 1539 and 2016. The most significant was in 1976 near Guatemala, triggered by an M7.5 earthquake, which killed around 23,000 people.
57 volcanoes are catalogued near El Salvador, including Apastepeque Field, Ilopango, San Vicente, Guazapa, San Salvador, Cinotepeque, Cerro and 51 more. Volcanic systems generate their own earthquake swarms, which is why activity here can look different from a purely tectonic region.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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El Salvador sits on the Central American volcanic arc and experiences frequent earthquakes.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for El Salvador.
Earthquake risk in El Salvador - FAQ
Is El Salvador at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 164 quakes a year nearby of magnitude 4+ within 300 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data. The strongest earthquake on record nearby is M7.7 in 1992.
What was the biggest earthquake in El Salvador?
The strongest earthquake on record near El Salvador is M7.7, in 1992 (83 km SSW of Corinto, Nicaragua), from USGS.
Does El Salvador get tsunamis?
Yes - 21 tsunamis since 1539 (most recently 2016) within 300 km, from the NOAA database. The deadliest killed around 23,000 people.
How do I get earthquake warnings in El Salvador?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.