PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in El Salvador

El Salvador has catalogued 1,501 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 28th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.7.

El Salvador ranks 28th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a highly seismically active country, averaging about 71 M4+ events a year alongside 40 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1913 to 2025, peaking in 2001.

1,501
M4+ events (since 2005)
40
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.7
Strongest
~71
M4+ per year

The verdict

El Salvador is more seismically active than most places tracked here, with 1,501 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 40 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.7.

2001
busiest year (3 major events)
40 km
average recorded event depth
88%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Tajikistan sits immediately above at 1,583 events and Nicaragua sits immediately below at 1,416.

Where El Salvador sits in the catalog

Rank 28th of 187 tracked countries (85th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Tajikistan sits immediately above at 1,583 events and Nicaragua sits immediately below at 1,416.

El Salvador's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

1,501 Top 15% higher than 85% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). This entry sits in this band. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Above this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Above this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Above this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). Above this entry. El Salvador 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How El Salvador compares to its nearest peers

El Salvador ranks in the 85th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 20 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

El Salvador vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 21 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 01,0002,0003,0004,0005,000 M6M6.5M7M7.5M8 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
El Salvador vs. its 20 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 21 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
India 4,086 M7.5
Iran 3,554 M7.7
Afghanistan 3,478 M7.5
Timor Leste 3,416 M7.3
Taiwan 2,531 M7.4
Turkey 2,249 M7.8
Guatemala 1,951 M7.4
New Caledonia 1,917 M7.5
Colombia 1,721 M7.3
Tajikistan 1,583 M7.2
El Salvador (this page) 1,501 M7.3
Nicaragua 1,416 M6.6
Pakistan 1,262 M7.7
Myanmar 1,136 M7.7
Ecuador 1,130 M7.8
Canada 1,026 M7.8
Iceland 982 M6.3
Bolivia 832 M6.8
Wallis and Futuna 807 M6.7
Costa Rica 717 M7.6
Panama 704 M6.7

Major (M6+) earthquakes in El Salvador by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

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.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%0.7%
Share of El Salvador's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

11 of 1,501 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

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

How the 40 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 82.5%

M7.0-7.9

7

17.5%

M6.0-6.9

33

82.5%

Depth of major earthquakes

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

El Salvador87.5%12.5%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of El Salvador's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

35

87.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

5

12.5% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in El Salvador

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

Mag Location Depth
7.7 28 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 60.0 km
7.7 12 km NW of Chalatenango, El Salvador 15.0 km
7.3 74 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador 40.0 km
7.3 126 km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 28.0 km
7.3 18 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 73.0 km
7.1 113 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 20.0 km
7.1 12 km S of Conchagua, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.9 156 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 10.0 km
6.7 8 km S of San Juan Opico, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.7 128 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador 15.0 km

Significant earthquake record (40 events)

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

Mag Location Depth
6.0 88 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 17.0 km
6.2 56 km SSE of La Libertad, El Salvador 46.0 km
6.1 56 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 26.4 km
6.5 43 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador 70.8 km
6.0 55 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 22.0 km
6.6 32 km S of La Libertad, El Salvador 57.9 km
6.1 85 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 22.0 km
6.2 78 km SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador 16.0 km
6.9 156 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 10.0 km
7.3 74 km S of Intipucá, El Salvador 40.0 km
7.3 126 km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 28.0 km
6.0 12 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 62.3 km
6.3 34 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 40.6 km
6.1 24 km S of Zacatecoluca, El Salvador 65.3 km
6.6 5 km S of Cojutepeque, El Salvador 10.0 km
7.7 28 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 60.0 km
6.1 11 km WSW of Sensuntepeque, El Salvador 182.1 km
6.5 13 km NNE of San Sebastián, El Salvador 176.4 km
6.0 22 km SW of Acajutla, El Salvador 75.0 km
7.3 18 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 73.0 km
6.0 3 km SE of San Marcos, El Salvador 14.2 km
6.0 19 km W of Jiquilisco, El Salvador 65.0 km
6.1 57 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 50.0 km
6.2 Near Jucuapa, El Salvador 10.0 km
6.0 41 km SSW of Acajutla, El Salvador 55.0 km
6.2 121 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 25.0 km
6.3 102 km S of La Libertad, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.2 1 km WNW of Berlín, El Salvador 15.0 km
7.1 12 km S of Conchagua, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.2 103 km SSW of La Libertad, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.7 128 km SSW of Chirilagua, El Salvador 15.0 km
7.1 113 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 20.0 km
6.3 24 km SSE of Intipucá, El Salvador 35.0 km
6.7 108 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 20.0 km
6.7 100 km SSW of Intipucá, El Salvador 20.0 km
6.2 8 km WNW of Jujutla, El Salvador 35.0 km
6.4 10 km WNW of San Francisco Menéndez, El Salvador 35.0 km
6.7 8 km S of San Juan Opico, El Salvador 15.0 km
7.7 12 km NW of Chalatenango, El Salvador 15.0 km
6.4 177 km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 15.0 km

Other countries in this catalog sample

A El Salvador-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Burundi

18 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Papua New Guinea

15,655 M4+ events · strongest M7.9

M7.9

Netherlands

1 M4+ events · strongest M4.2

M4.2

Reunion

2 M4+ events · strongest M5.3

M5.3

Jordan

5 M4+ events · strongest M4.5

M4.5

Greece

4,606 M4+ events · strongest M7.0

M7.0

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second El Salvador-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Argentina

4,379 M4+ events

M7.0

Costa Rica

717 M4+ events

M7.6

Colombia

1,721 M4+ events

M7.3

Haiti

217 M4+ events

M7.2

Guatemala

1,951 M4+ events

M7.4

Pakistan

1,262 M4+ events

M7.7

Understand the data

Tajikistan

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Nicaragua

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in El Salvador? ▼
The USGS catalog records 1,501 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 28th of 187 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 El Salvador's figures

1,501 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.7 · average M4.5 · 40 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 15, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What El Salvador's numbers mean

El Salvador ranks 28th of 187 countries tracked - a highly seismically active country.

  • About 71 M4+ earthquakes strike El Salvador per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 2001 was the busiest year on record with 3 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 88% of El Salvador's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.7. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.