SAN MIGUEL CENTRO, San Miguel Department — A 5.5 magnitude quake jolted near Chirilagua on Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

At 00:30 UTC (18:30 local time), a tremor struck the region at a depth of 57 km, with its epicenter about 69 km south-southwest of Chirilagua.

Did you feel it?

You can let the USGS know if you felt the earthquake by filling out their Felt Report form. 13 people have submitted responses through the agency’s online form, reporting they experienced weak shaking. Residents reported feeling the quake in a couple of cities, such as Managua and Nueva San Salvador, according to the USGS DYFI report.

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 informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) 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