Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in El Salvador

El Salvador ranks 29th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

Compiled by PlainQuake Editorial, Earthquake Data Editorial Team

1,498
M4+ events (since 2005): 40
Major M6+ (since 1900): M7.7
Strongest: ~71
M4+ per year

The verdict

El Salvador has logged 1,498 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 40 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

#29
of 215 countries by M4+ activity: 1,498
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present): M7.7
strongest earthquake on record: 40
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

2001

3
2004

2
2012

1
2014

1
2016

1
2017

1
2018

1
2019

1
2021

1
2023

1
2024

1
2025

2

What this shows El Salvador's most active year for major earthquakes was 2001 (3 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 40 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for El Salvador.

M7.0-7.9

17.5%

M6.0-6.9

82.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 40 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 40 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

87.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

12.5% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in El Salvador

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
7.7	28 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	60.0 km	Jan 13, 2001
7.7	12 km NW of Chalatenango, El Salvador	15.0 km	Sep 7, 1915
7.3	74 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador	40.0 km	Oct 14, 2014
7.3	126 km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	28.0 km	Aug 27, 2012
7.3	18 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	73.0 km	Jun 19, 1982
7.1	113 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	20.0 km	Feb 8, 1926
7.1	12 km S of Conchagua, El Salvador	15.0 km	May 21, 1932
6.9	156 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	10.0 km	Nov 24, 2016
6.7	8 km S of San Juan Opico, El Salvador	15.0 km	Jun 8, 1917
6.7	128 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador	15.0 km	Feb 15, 1926

Significant earthquake record (40 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in El Salvador since 1900, most recent first.

Mag	Location	Depth	Date
6.0	88 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador	17.0 km	Aug 23, 2025
6.2	56 km SSE of La Libertad, El Salvador	46.0 km	Jan 5, 2025
6.1	56 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	26.4 km	Aug 28, 2024
6.5	43 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador	70.8 km	Jul 19, 2023
6.0	55 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador	22.0 km	May 12, 2021
6.6	32 km S of La Libertad, El Salvador	57.9 km	May 30, 2019
6.1	85 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador	22.0 km	Oct 28, 2018
6.2	78 km SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador	16.0 km	May 12, 2017
6.9	156 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	10.0 km	Nov 24, 2016
7.3	74 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador	40.0 km	Oct 14, 2014
7.3	126 km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	28.0 km	Aug 27, 2012
6.0	12 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	62.3 km	Dec 13, 2004
6.3	34 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador	40.6 km	Nov 20, 2004
6.1	24 km S of Zacatecoluca, El Salvador	65.3 km	Feb 28, 2001
6.6	5 km S of Cojutepeque, El Salvador	10.0 km	Feb 13, 2001
7.7	28 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	60.0 km	Jan 13, 2001
6.1	11 km WSW of Sensuntepeque, El Salvador	182.1 km	Dec 18, 1997
6.5	13 km NNE of San Sebastián, El Salvador	176.4 km	Nov 9, 1997
6.0	22 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador	75.0 km	May 23, 1992
7.3	18 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	73.0 km	Jun 19, 1982
6.0	3 km SE of San Marcos, El Salvador	14.2 km	May 3, 1965
6.0	19 km W of Jiquilisco, El Salvador	65.0 km	Apr 12, 1961
6.1	57 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	50.0 km	Apr 26, 1955
6.2	Near Jucuapa, El Salvador	10.0 km	May 6, 1951
6.0	41 km SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador	55.0 km	Apr 2, 1951
6.2	121 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	25.0 km	Oct 7, 1945
6.3	102 km S of La Libertad, El Salvador	15.0 km	Sep 1, 1938
6.2	1 km WNW of Berlín, El Salvador	15.0 km	Dec 20, 1936
7.1	12 km S of Conchagua, El Salvador	15.0 km	May 21, 1932
6.2	103 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador	15.0 km	Feb 15, 1929
6.7	128 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador	15.0 km	Feb 15, 1926
7.1	113 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	20.0 km	Feb 8, 1926
6.3	24 km SSE of Intipucá, El Salvador	35.0 km	Oct 5, 1925
6.7	108 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	20.0 km	May 1, 1924
6.7	100 km SSW of Intipucá, El Salvador	20.0 km	Jun 29, 1919
6.2	8 km WNW of Jujutla, El Salvador	35.0 km	Apr 28, 1919
6.4	10 km WNW of San Francisco Menéndez, El Salvador	35.0 km	Oct 19, 1918
6.7	8 km S of San Juan Opico, El Salvador	15.0 km	Jun 8, 1917
7.7	12 km NW of Chalatenango, El Salvador	15.0 km	Sep 7, 1915
6.4	177 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador	15.0 km	Jan 15, 1913

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to El Salvador.

Tajikistan

1,578 M4+ events · strongest M7.2

M7.2

Nicaragua

1,413 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Colombia

1,718 M4+ events · strongest M7.3

M7.3

Pakistan

1,261 M4+ events · strongest M7.7

M7.7

New Caledonia

1,913 M4+ events · strongest M7.5

M7.5

Ecuador

1,069 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in El Salvador? ▼

The USGS catalog records 1,498 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in El Salvador since 2005, an average of about 71 per year. Separately, 40 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.

What was the strongest earthquake in El Salvador? ▼

The strongest catalogued earthquake in El Salvador measured magnitude 7.7. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.5 - most earthquakes are moderate.

How seismically active is El Salvador? ▼

By catalogued M4+ activity, El Salvador ranks 29th of 215 countries worldwide - a highly seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 2001, with 3.

How deep are earthquakes in El Salvador? ▼

Across the 40 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 40 km. 88% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.

Where does this data come from? ▼

Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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