An earthquake shook Central America Friday, authorities said, causing a renewed scare in El Salvador after deadly mudslides and a volcano eruption over the past week. The U.S. Geological Survey said the moderate 5.8-magnitude quake, which also was felt in southern Guatemala, occurred shortly before noon (1743 GMT) and was centred in the sea off the coast of El Salvador. El Salvador's interior minister, Rene Figueroa, warned people that the tremor could trigger further mudslides. Days of rainfall caused by a Gulf of Mexico hurricane this week set off floods and mudslides in both countries, claiming about 140 lives in Guatemala and at least 73 in El Salvador. Hundreds of others are reported missing. El Salvador's largest volcano, Ilamatepec, erupted October 1 and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
