3.2

M3.2 Earthquake 11 km W of Santa Tecla, El Salvador — September 19, 2020

2020-09-19 22:23:07 UTC (2020-09-19) · approx. 4:23 PM UTC-6 local

MagnitudeM3.2(ml)
Time22:23 UTC≈ 4:23 PM UTC-6
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates13.689°, -89.385°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On September 19, 2020 at 22:23 UTC, a magnitude 3.2 shallow crustal earthquake struck 11 km W of Santa Tecla, El Salvador, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 13.6888°, -89.3847°.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 951 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 97 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Map showing earthquake epicenter at 13.69°, -89.38°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
3.2 ml
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
13.6888°N
-89.3847°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000bqdw
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
158
Azimuthal Gap
192.0°
Min Station Distance
0.706°
RMS Residual
0.10 sec
Last Updated
2020-11-28 21:31:55 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 3.2 earthquake near Santa Tecla, El Salvador?

The magnitude 3.2 earthquake that struck 11 km W of Santa Tecla, El Salvador on September 19, 2020 at 22:23 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 3.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.

Understanding This Data

Magnitude 3.2 earthquakes are typically only recorded by instruments.

Learn more about magnitude →

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000bqdw). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, September 19, 2020). M3.2 Earthquake 11 km W of Santa Tecla, El Salvador — September 19, 2020. Retrieved November 28, 2020 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000bqdw/