Emergency services in El Salvador said on Twitter there were no immediate reports of damage at a national level.

The 7.0 magnitude quake, initially reported as a magnitude 7.2, was very shallow at 10.3 kilometers (6.4 miles) below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect. Its epicenter was located some 149 km (93 miles) south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency due to the quake and Hurricane Otto, which landed on the country's southeastern coast earlier on Thursday, his spokeswoman said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that "hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the earthquake epicenter."

El Salvador's government also said it saw the threat of tsunami waves hitting the coast.

Earlier on Thursday, the Category 2 hurricane hit land near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where thousands had already been evacuated away from vulnerable coastal areas and into shelters.</s>Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.

A strong earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America shook the region Thursday just as Hurricane Otto barreled into the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but there were no immediate reports of any quake damage.

Emergency services in El Salvador said on Twitter that they had received no reports of damage at a national level, but they urged those living along the country's Pacific coast to withdraw up to a half-mile from shore.

The 7.0-magnitude quake, initially reported as magnitude 7.2, was very shallow, at 6.4 miles below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect. Its epicenter was about 90 miles south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Nicaraguan military members monitor Hurricane Otto during a news conference Thursday in Managua. Jorge Torres / EPA

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that waves of up to 3 feet could hit the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and El Salvador after the quake, but it later said that available data showed the threat had passed.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency because of the quake and Hurricane Otto, which landed on the country's southeastern coast earlier Thursday, his spokeswoman said.

"We were serving lunch to the lawmakers, and the earthquake started, and we felt that it was very strong," said Jacqueline Najarro, 38, a food seller at the Congress in San Salvador. "We were scared."

Otto hit land as a category 2 storm near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where thousands of people had already been evacuated from vulnerable coastal areas and into shelters. By Thursday night, however, it had weakened to a tropical storm, prompting the National Hurricane Center to cancel tropical weather advisories for the Nicaraguan and Costa Rican coasts.</s>A tsunami warning was issued after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Central America.

The quake was felt in several countries across the region and struck just as the category 2 Hurricane Otto descended near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where a state of emergency has been declared.

“Hazardous” tsumani waves are possible within 300km of the quake epicenter along the coasts of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras, the Center specified.

Nicaragua and El Salvador issued their own tsunami warnings in the wake of the earthquake.

The quake, initially reported as magnitude 7.2, was registered at a depth of 33km (20 miles), some 154km (96 miles) south-southwest of the Puerto Triunfo municipality in El Salvador, according to The US Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of damage in El Salvador, the country’s emergency services reported on Twitter.

The earthquake struck just as the category 2 Hurricane Otto descended near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua. Thousands had already been evacuated from coastal areas.

The hurricane brought strong winds of around 175 kilometers (110 miles) per hour and heavy rainfalls, threatening to instigate dangerous floods and mudslides.</s>People play at La Pazon beach after a tsunami warning was lifted following a 7.0 magnitude undersea earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America, in La Libertad, El Salvador, November 24, 2016. REUTERS/Victor Pena

By Nelson Renteria

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - A strong earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America shook the region on Thursday just as a hurricane barreled into the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but there were no immediate reports of any quake damage.

Emergency services in El Salvador said on Twitter it had received no reports of damage at a national level, but urged those living along the country's Pacific coast to withdraw up to 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) away from the shore.

The 7.0 magnitude quake, initially reported as a magnitude 7.2, was very shallow at 10.3 kilometers (6.4 miles) below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect.

Its epicenter was located some 149 km (93 miles) south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that tsunami waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) could hit the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and El Salvador after the quake, but later said that available data showed the threat had passed.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency due to the quake and Hurricane Otto, which landed on the country's southeastern coast earlier on Thursday, his spokeswoman said.

"We were serving lunch to the lawmakers and the earthquake started and we felt that it was very strong," said Jacqueline Najarro, a 38-year-old food seller at the Congress in San Salvador. "We were scared."

Earlier on Thursday, the Category 2 Hurricane Otto hit land near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where thousands had already been evacuated away from vulnerable coastal areas and into shelters.

(Additional reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala, Gustavo Palencia in Honduras and Ivan Castro in Nicaragua; Writing by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Sandra Maler and Simon Gardner)</s></s>A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has shaken El Salvador and Nicaragua, just an hour after a powerful hurricane hit the Caribbean coast.

Salvadoran authorities issued a tsunami alert as a precaution after the tremor, which struck around 75 miles off the coast of El Salvador, at a depth of 20 miles beneath the Pacific Ocean, according to the US Geological Survey.

Shaking was also felt in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, and as far as the Costa Rican capital San Jose.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Just one hour earlier, a powerful hurricane, Otto, packing winds of 10mph made landfall on Nicaragua's other coast.

The heavy rains it was offloading were likely to cause dangerous flooding and mud slides, according to the US National Hurricane Center.</s>Map locates the epicentre of the strong quake that struck at a depth of 33 km, south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador. Photo: USGS

A strong earthquake off the Pacific Coast of Central America shook the region on Thursday just as a hurricane barrelled into the Caribbean coasts of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but there were no immediate reports of any quake damage.

Emergency services in El Salvador said on Twitter they had received no reports of damage at a national level, but urged those living along the country's Pacific coast to withdraw up to 1 km away from the shore.

The 7.0 magnitude quake, initially reported as a magnitude 7.2, was very shallow at 10.3 km below the seabed, which would have amplified its effect.

Its epicenter was located some 149 km south-southwest of Puerto Triunfo in El Salvador, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warned that tsunami waves of up to 3 feet could hit the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua and El Salvador after the quake, but later said that available data showed the threat had passed.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency due to the quake and Hurricane Otto, which landed on the country's southeastern coast earlier on Thursday, his spokeswoman said.

“We were serving lunch to the lawmakers and the earthquake started and we felt that it was very strong,” said Jacqueline Najarro, a 38-year-old food seller at the Congress in San Salvador. “We were scared.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Category 2 Hurricane Otto hit land near the southeastern coast of Nicaragua, where thousands had already been evacuated away from vulnerable coastal areas and into shelters.</s>A man in his boat is seen near "El Canal" Neighborhood before Hurricane Otto hits Bluefields, Nicaragua on November 24, 2016 (AFP Photo/Inti Ocon)

San Salvador (AFP) - A Pacific Ocean earthquake with a 7.0 magnitude shook El Salvador and Nicaragua on Thursday, officials said, an hour after a powerful hurricane hit Nicaragua's Caribbean coast.

Tsunami alerts were issued as a precaution by the authorities in Nicaragua and El Salvador, where residents were told to evacuate from the Pacific coast.

The 7.0-magnitude temblor occurred around 120 kilometers (75 miles) off the coast of El Salvador, at a depth of 10.3 kilometers (6 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.

The USGS had initially reported the quake's magnitude as 7.2, and its depth as 33 kilometers.

Shaking was also felt in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua and as far as the Costa Rican capital San Jose.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

Just one hour earlier, a powerful hurricane, Otto, packing winds of 175 kilometers (110 miles) per hour made landfall on Nicaragua's other coast.

The heavy rains it was offloading were likely to cause dangerous flooding and mud slides, according to the US National Hurricane Center.</s>SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (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 kms) southeast of San Salvador, the capital, where the quake was felt strongly.

Nicaragua, meanwhile, was already under alert after category 1 Hurricane Otto made landfall on the country’s Atlantic coast.</s>SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred off 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. She said that waves 6 feet (3 meters) high might hit the coast.

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 kms) southeast of San Salvador, the capital.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurs off the coast of El Salvador with the potential to cause a tsunami. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega declares a state of emergency because of the quake and Hurricane Otto.