Earthquake of 6.1 magnitude hits off El Salvador, no reports of damage

Carlos Lopez Mendoza of the Salvadoran Red Cross said officials had checked throughout the affected area without finding any indications of problems.

A strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit in the Pacific off the coast of El Salvador on Sunday, shaking people in the western portions of the country near the border with Guatemala but causing no damage.

The US Geological Survey said the tremor occurred 24 kilometres under the surface. Its epicentre was 93.4 kilometres southwest of the Salvadoran coastal town of Acajutla.

Carlos Lopez Mendoza of the Salvadoran Red Cross said officials had checked throughout the affected area without finding any indications of problems.

"There are no reports of damages or victims," he said.

Pedro Escamilla, who lives in Santa Tecla, 10 kilometres west of the capital, said the quake was not violent.

"It was a long, swaying, but gentle earthquake," he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)