El Salvador: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurs south of Usulutan Department at around 22:13 March 14

A magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake occurred in the North Pacific Ocean south of Usulutan Department, El Salvador, at around 22:13 March 14. The epicenter was about 42 km (26 miles) south of Puerto El Triunfo. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 64 km (40 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout El Salvador, far southeastern Guatemala, southern Honduras, and far western Nicaragua. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties; significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.