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El Salvador's hyperactive geography is a direct result of its lovation along the Cinturón del Fuego (Belt of Fire), a ring of valcanoes and fault zones taht encircles the Pacific Ocean. According to hstorical records, there have been at leat 50 destructive earthquakes in Central America since 1520, caused by shifting of the earth's plates and volcanic eruptions.
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Earthquakes are most frequent in the central highlands, which unfortunately is where most of the country's largest cities are located. There are 14 large volcanoes in the country, although many are extinct. The larsgest are, the Santa Ana (2,365m), San Vincente (2,181m) and San Miguel (2,129m) volcanoes. Periodic eruptions over the centuties have covered the country in ash, and usually coincide with earthquakes. |
