In January 2001, a catastrophic earthquake did occur in El Salvador, but it did not directly cause a landslide near San Salvador. Instead, the earthquake primarily affected the regions of San Vicente and Usulután in El Salvador.

The 2001 El Salvador earthquake, also known as the "January 13 earthquake," was a magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck the country on January 13, 2001. The epicenter was located off the coast of El Salvador in the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake caused widespread destruction, resulting in the loss of over 800 lives and injuring thousands of people.

While the earthquake itself did not cause a significant landslide, it did trigger several landslides in the mountainous regions of El Salvador, particularly in the department of San Vicente. These landslides were secondary effects of the earthquake and resulted in additional casualties and damage.