Earthquake swarm in El Salvador: More than 740 earthquakes hit Chirilagua-Intipucá triggering the evacuation of nearly 2,000 people in the last 4 days

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A swarm of earthquakes is currently rattling Chirilagua-Intipucá in southern El Salvador. As of May 9, 2018 – or 4 days after the beginning of the seismic unrest – more than 730 earthquakes had already hit the area, damaging nearly 289 homes, producing small landslides, and prompting evacuations for more than 2,000 people. The swarm began on Sunday with at least nine quakes of M4.3 or greater, including three of magnitude 5.2 to 5.6.

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Location of the earthquake swarm in El Salvador.

The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources tweeted a few hours ago: “Swarm in Chirilagua-Intipucá: Until 6:00 a.m. [12:00 GMT] on May 9 a total of 747 earthquakes have been recorded, 110 earthquakes felt:”

As of May 8, 2018, authorities had already installed 26 shelters (13 in Chirilagua, 6 in Intipucá and 7 in El Carmen) to accomodate 2,043 people (or 453 families), that have been displaced from their homes by the tremors:

In addition, “there are a total of 289 damaged houses, with 11 homes completely destroyed. Damages were also reported in the Los Conejos School Center in the district of El Piche (southeast), at the Los Conejos farmhouse in the El Carmen municipality of La Unión and in the municipality of Conchagua (southeast) and in Intipucá:”

Here some maps and pictures of the El Salvador earthquake swarm:

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Earthquake swarm hits El Salvador in May 2018. USGS via ElSalvador
earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 map, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 photo, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 pictures
More than 2000 people have been evacuated and displaced in emergency shelters. Prensa Libre
earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 map, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 photo, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 pictures
Emergency shelters for displaced residents due to seismic unrest in EL Salvador. Prensa Libre
earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 map, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 photo, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 pictures
More than 200 homes have been damaged and some even destroyed. Prensa Libre
earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 map, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 photo, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 pictures
Damages are large, but no deaths have been reported so far after the seismic episode in El Salvador. Prensa Libre
earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 map, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 photo, earthquake swarm el salvador may 2018 pictures
More than 750 tremors hit El Salvador in the last 4 days. ContextoDiario

El Salvador has had registered 12 seismic swarms in the last 27 years. In 2011, an earthquake series with more than 1,000 tremors rattled the exact same area than today.

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Continúa enjambre sísmico en los municipios de Chirilagua e Intipucá
Swarm of quakes hits El Salvador, damaging nearly 200 homes

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