Earthquake swarm hits El Salvador, damaging homes

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Earthquake swarm hits El Salvador, damaging homes
25 Nov 2011 20:21
Source: reuters // Reuters

SAN SALVADOR, Nov 25 (Reuters) - More than 700 slight to moderate earthquakes hit an area in eastern El Salvador in a 24-hour period, damaging dozens of homes but hurting no one.

The brief quakes, which started Thursday and ranged from 1.8 to 4.6 in magnitude, have occurred in the municipality of El Carmen, some 163 km (101 miles) east of the capital of San Salvador, the country's National Territory agency said.

Jorge Melendez, in charge of civil protection, said on Friday that 80 homes were damaged by the tremors, known as an earthquake swarm. A hospital in the area showed cracks on the walls but no structural damage so far, he said.

Army troops were sent in to monitor the damaged areas. While authorities have not ordered evacuations yet, many residents of El Carmen chose to sleep in the open and the army was handing out tents.

Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/earthquake-swarm-hits-el-salvador-damaging-homes