Earthquake in Mexico: earthquake with epicenter in Las Choapas, Veracruz

An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 and a depth of 44.6 kilometers alerted the residents of the city to the choapas at 2:15 a.m. local time (8:15 a.m. UTC) today.

The movement had its epicenter 79 km southwest of the said city in the state of Veracruz, according to preliminary information from the National Seismological Service (SSN).

In the event of significant seismic activity, the The National Center for Disaster Reduction (Cenapred) recommends not to fall into the trap of rumors or fake news and to get information only from official sourcessuch as civil protection authorities, both local and state, as well as federal.

after an earthquake, check your house for research possible damage, only use your phone in an emergency, do not light matches or candles until you make sure there are no gas leaks and remember that there may be aftershocks of the earthquakeit is therefore important to be vigilant.

You can also take the following actions before an earthquake: prepare a civil protection plan, organize evacuation drills, find safe areas home, school or workplace and set up a emergency backpack.

Mexicans are used to this type of event, because The country is located in a zone of high seismicity. It is worth remembering the great impact of the earthquakes of 1985 and 2017, which caused great devastation throughout the Aztec territory. However, there are traces of even more destructive movements in the country’s history.

The strongest earthquake recorded in the history of what is now Mexico had its epicenter in Oaxaca. This March 28, 1787was shaking from the force of magnitude 8.6. The land not only vibrated but also the sea showed its fury with a tsunami that went up to 6 kilometers beyond the coast.

According to a study by the Center for Instrumentation and Seismic Recording (Cires) carried out in 2009 on the earthquake of March 28, 1787, large earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.6 or more could occur in the next few years. These will have as their epicenter the coasts of Mexico and Central America, since they are located in the Guerrero Gap, which accumulates a large amount of energy.

However, a lower magnitude during a seismic event does not necessarily translate to less impact on buildings and infrastructure. Thus, in 1985 and 2017, the inhabitants of the capital, Mexico City, had to deal with the devastation caused by two earthquakes which marked a turning point in their lives.

The one on September 19, 1985 occurred at 7:19 a.m. local time (1:19 p.m. UTC) with a magnitude of 8.2 and with epicenter in the state of Guerrero. Since that earthquake, many thought that something like this would never happen again. But it happened again exactly 32 years later.

The 2017 one occurred between the states of Puebla and Morelos at 1:14 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. UTC). The death toll of human victims reached 369.