10. The January 2001 El Salvador earthquake killed around 945 people. Its epicentre was 60 miles (100 km) south-west of what city of the country?
From Quiz Central America: All about El Salvador
Answer:
San Miguel
The city of San Miguel is located in the east of El Salvador. In 1655, the city was destroyed by a volcanic eruption. Legends have it that only a portrait of the Virgin Mary survived the disaster.
The San Miguel volcano is only just over 9 miles (15 km) south-west of the city. It is around 6,990 feet (2,130 m) high.
On January 13 2001, a 7.8-7.9 magnitude earthquake struck El Salvador. Around 5,550 were injured, 945 died and over 10,000 homes were destroyed. Every department of El Salvador was affected by the earthquake, but the departments of La Libertad and Usulután particularly suffered. The tremors were felt as far away as Colombia and Mexico. It spread to Guatemala, where it killed eight people.
El Salvador lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, as well as being atop two tectonic plates: the Cocoas Plate, which is being subducted by the Caribbean Plate. This makes the area prone to earthquakes, and also caused one in El Salvador in 1982, as well as the Nicaragua earthquake of 1992.