Magnitude 7.0 Offshore Quake Rattles El Salvador
SAN SALVADOR (CBS SF/AP) — A magnitude 7.0 earthquake rattled El Salvador's Pacific coast Thursday, but the country's civil defense agency said there were no immediate reports of damages or injuries.
Lina Pohl, the country's environment minister, said there was a tsunami alert, with the possibility of waves 6 feet (3 meters) high along the coast.
Nicaragua, which was also close to the epicenter, also reported a tsunami alert.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the 12:43 p.m. (1843 GMT) quake was about 92 miles (149 kilometers) south-southwest of the port of El Triunfo, El Salvador.
El Triunfo is located about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of San Salvador, the capital, where the quake was felt strongly.
Nicaragua, meanwhile, was already under alert after Hurricane Otto made landfall on the country's Caribbean coast.
