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El Salvador and Nicaragua earthquake: Tsunami warning after 7.2 magnitude quake strikes in Pacific Ocean El Salvador and Nicaragua earthquake: Tsunami warning after 7.0 magnitude quake strikes in Pacific Ocean
(35 minutes later)
A  7.2 magnitude earthquake has shaken El Salvador and Nicaragua, just an hour after a powerful hurricane hit the Caribbean coast. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has shaken El Salvador and Nicaragua, just an hour after a powerful hurricane hit Nicaragua's eastern 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. 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. The quake was first measured at a magnitude of 7.2 but was then downgraded.
"Hazardous" waves measuring about 1m (three feet) are possible to hit coastal areas within 300km of the quake's epicentre. "Hazardous" waves measuring about up to 1m (three feet) are possible to hit coastal areas within 300km of the quake's epicentre.
Shaking was also felt in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, and as far as the Costa Rican capital San Jose.Shaking was also felt in the Nicaraguan capital of Managua, and as far as the Costa Rican capital San Jose.
Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, declared a state of emergency immediately after the quake. Nicaragua's president, Daniel Ortega, declared a state of emergency immediately after the quake. The country was already on alert for an hurricane which struck earlier the same day.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, according to the country's civil defense agency.
Just one hour earlier, a powerful hurricane, Otto, packing winds of 110mph, made landfall on Nicaragua's other coast. Just one hour before the earthquake, a powerful hurricane, Otto, packing winds of 110mph, made landfall on Nicaragua's Caribbean coast.
Thousands of people had already been evacuated from coastal areas into shelters. Thousands of people had already been evacuated from coastal areas into shelters - a total of 7,000 people are expected to evacuate in Nicaragua alone. Government officials said some people had refused to evacuate but did not say how many.
The heavy rains it was offloading were likely to cause dangerous flooding and mud slides, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The heavy rains it was offloading were likely to cause dangerous flooding and mud slides, according to the US National Hurricane Center, as much as 20 inches of rain are expected in isolated areas across northern Costa Rica and southern Nicaragua.
Otto will weaken as it moves inland and will likely become a tropical storm by Thursday evening, the center added. It is currently travelling west at around 9mph.
Additional reporting by AFPAdditional reporting by AFP