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.
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:”
Enjambre en Chirilagua-Intipucá: hasta las 10:00 horas del 9 de mayo se contabilizan un total de 747 sismos, 110 sismos sentidos
— MARN El Salvador (@MARN_SV) May 9, 2018
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:
@PROCIVILSV indica que actualmente están instalados 26 albergues (13 en Chirilagua y 6 en Intipucá y 7 en El Carmen); los albergados son un total de 2,043 personas que corresponden a 453 familias
— PROTECCIÓN CIVIL E.S (@PROCIVILSV) May 8, 2018
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:”
@PROCIVILSV indica que actualmente hay un total de 289 viviendas dañadas, 11 viviendas destruidas, daños en Centro Escolar Los Conejos del cantón El Piche, caserío Los Conejos del municipio El Carmen de La Unión y daños en alcaldía de Conchagua e Intipucá aparentemente leves
— PROTECCIÓN CIVIL E.S (@PROCIVILSV) May 8, 2018
Here some maps and pictures of the El Salvador earthquake swarm:
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
