Quake Swarm
May 5, 2005

Over 600 Earthquakes Spread Panic in El Salvador, May 5

San Salvador, May 5 (Prensa Latina) More than 600 tremors reported within 24 hours sets off the alarm in El Salvador and although there have not been victims, many families ready to spend the night in the open. The chain of tremors began early on Wednesday at the mountain range of Los Naranjos and remains one of the strongest to affect the west section of the national territory in the latest years. So far, near 70 shakes have been graded as sensitive (3 - 4.9 degrees in the Richter Scale) by the Environment Ministry Domestic Studies Services. So far, the tremors have destroyed 63 houses in Regalo de Dios, in Apaneca, 89 km west the capital, said Raul Murillo, head of the National Emergency Committee Warning and Monitoring Unit. Official reports tell of another ten houses damaged in Juayua, at Sonsonate Department.

Magnitude 6.9 - SOUTH OF PANAMA
2005 May 5 19:12:23 UTC
Preliminary Earthquake Report
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center/NOAA/NWS

A strong earthquake occurred at 19:12:23 (UTC) on Thursday, May 5, 2005. 
The magnitude 6.9 event has been located SOUTH OF PANAMA. 
(This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)

Magnitude 6.9
Date-Time Thursday, May 5, 2005 at 19:12:23 (UTC)
= Coordinated Universal Time
Thursday, May 5, 2005 at 2:12:23 PM
= local time at epicenter

Location 5.500°N, 82.200°W
Depth 40 km (24.9 miles) set by location program
Region SOUTH OF PANAMA
Distances 322 km (200 miles) SSW (205°) from Santiago, Panama
327 km (203 miles) S (175°) from David, Panama
335 km (208 miles) SW (220°) from Las Tablas, Panama
486 km (302 miles) SW (218°) from PANAMA CITY, Panama

Location Uncertainty Error estimate not available
Parameters Nst=009, Nph=009, Dmin=477.3 km, Rmss=2.13 sec, Gp=234°,
M-type=surface wave magnitude (Ms), Version=1
Source West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center/NOAA/NWS