Lifeline Performance of El Salvador Earthquakes of January 13 and February 13, 2001

This report details the effects of the two earthquakes that occurred in El Salvador on January 13 and February 13, 2001. The first earthquake had a magnitude of 7.6 and the second had a magnitude of 6.6. The catastrophic damage was estimated at $1.6 billion. The significant lifeline disruption was due to landslides, which closed the major PanAmerican Highway and the highway to the International airport, as well as disrupted power, communication, street lighting, roads and water systems. The technological Council on Lifeline Earthquake Engineering (TCLEE) of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) established the Earthquake Investigation Committee to initiate, organize, train for, coordinate, and evaluate the performance of lifelines following earthquakes. Their findings are contained in this report.