LA UNIÓN SUR, La Unión Department — A 5.5 magnitude quake jolted near Intipucá on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor shook at 00:30 UTC (18:30 local time), with its epicenter roughly 48 km south-southwest of Intipucá and a depth of 73 km.

Did you feel it?

You can let the USGS know if you felt the earthquake by filling out their Felt Report form. The agency has received 15 responses on its online form so far, from people saying they experienced weak shaking. The USGS DYFI report indicates that residents in cities such as Managua, Nueva San Salvador and Intipucá felt the quake.

Impact and estimated losses

The USGS categorized this as a Green Alert, which means there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and adobe block construction.

Area struck by 7.5 quake in 1976
The area has a history of significant seismic activity. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck 4.3 miles north of Los Amates in Los Amates on Feb. 4, 1976, at a depth of 3.1 miles.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey