The earthquake caused shaking-induced damage and triggered numerous landslides, including a major debris avalanche in a suburb of the capital San Salvador. The landslide buried 400 homes and the estimate of deaths at this one site alone is over 500, possibly as much as 1000.
Landslides continue to be triggered by aftershocks.
A four member Canadian Earthquake Engineering Reconnaissance Team left for El Salvador on Monday, January 22, 2001. The team includes two Natural Resources Canada scientists, landslide specialist Dr. Steve Evans and seismologist Allison Bent, both from the Geological Survey of Canada. The other team members are Drs. A quick response is necessary for the team to observe the effects of the disaster before they are disturbed by recovery operations, removal, and rebuilding. The Canadian team's work will assist Salvadoran officials in the immediate recovery tasks.