Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Strikes Off El Salvador’s Pacific Coast
SAN SALVADOR, July 18 (Reuters) – A powerful magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of El Salvador on Tuesday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake occurred at a depth of nearly 70 km (43 miles) and reports indicate that it was felt in several nations in Central America.
Thankfully, there have been no immediate reports of damage, and the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami warning for El Salvador, as confirmed by the country’s environment ministry. However, authorities are taking precautions and have begun conducting checks in the coastal city of La Libertad, near the capital San Salvador. Salvadoran lawmaker Salvador Chacon, in a tweet, assured that so far, there have been no reports of damage from the municipality.
The impact of the earthquake was not restricted to El Salvador alone. It was also felt in Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize, as reported by local media and witnesses to Reuters.
Natural disasters like earthquakes can have devastating consequences, but the timely communication and preparedness measures taken by the governments in the affected regions can help mitigate the potential harm caused by such events.
Reporting by Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Writing by Kylie Madry and Isabel Woodford; Editing by Anthony Esposito and Tom Hogue