Live seismic activity in El Salvador — updated every 60 seconds from USGS data. El Salvador is highly seismically active, with frequent earthquakes from the Middle America Trench subduction zone.
El Salvador is highly seismically active, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the Caribbean Plate. The 2001 El Salvador earthquakes (M7.7 and M6.6) caused over 1,200 deaths and widespread damage. Major faults include the El Salvador Fault Zone, the subduction interface, and the San Vicente fault. Notable quakes include 2001 Offshore (M7.7), 2001 San Salvador (M6.6), 1986 San Salvador (M5.7). The seismic risk is very high. Tectonically, El Salvador lies on the Caribbean Plate with the Cocos Plate subducting to the south, plus a complex system of strike-slip faults on land. This page provides real‑time USGS data and historical context for El Salvador.
The region is defined by El Salvador Fault Zone, Middle America Trench subduction interface, San Vicente fault, and the risk level is classified as Very High. With a population of 6.5 million, understanding local seismic hazards is crucial.
El Salvador lies on Cocos Plate subducting beneath Caribbean Plate. The movement of these plates builds up stress, which is released as earthquakes. In subduction zones, one plate dives beneath another, generating some of the largest quakes on Earth. In some regions, strike‑slip faults produce frequent moderate earthquakes.
The strongest recorded earthquake in El Salvador was the 2001 Offshore earthquake (M7.7). 2001 Offshore (M7.7)
El Salvador experiences approximately 500-1,500 earthquakes per year, with 50-200 felt (M3.0+) and 5-10 potentially damaging events (M5.0+) annually, according to USGS historical data.
The most recent major earthquake in El Salvador was the 2001 Offshore earthquake (M7.7). 2001 Offshore (M7.7)
Yes. El Salvador is crossed by El Salvador Fault Zone, Middle America Trench subduction interface, San Vicente fault, making it prone to seismic activity. The seismic risk level is classified as Very High.
Drop, cover, and hold on. Stay away from windows, and if outdoors, move to an open area. After the shaking stops, check for injuries and be ready for aftershocks. Prepare an emergency kit with water, food, first aid, and a flashlight.
Data sources: USGS real‑time feed, USGS historical archive, and Wikipedia. Page refreshes live earthquake data every 60 seconds.