Magnitude 4.1 earthquake with epicenter in Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca

A 4.1 magnitude earthquake was recorded near Pinotepa Nacional at 3:56 a.m. local time (9:56 a.m. UTC) today, the National Seismological Service (SSN) reported.

Preliminary information indicates that the epicenter of the quake was 79 km southwest of the city in the state of Oaxaca and was 17.1 km deep.

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

after an earthquake, search your house possible damage, only use your mobile 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 remain vigilant.

You can also take the following actions before an earthquake: prepares a civil protection plan, organizes evacuation drills, identifies safety zones home, school or workplace and set up a emergency backpack.

Mexico is located in an area of ​​high geological activity, putting you at constant risk of tremors. Proof of the above, the earthquakes of 1985 and 2017, which caused great damage, were however not the most important in the history of the country, although they are one of the most present in the memory of nationals and foreigners.

During the colonial period, it happened the strongest earthquake recorded in the history of what is now Mexico. arrived on On March 28, 1787, its epicenter was in Oaxaca, it had a magnitude of 8.6. The movement was so violent that it not only shook the earth, but also caused a tsunami that reached 6 kilometers inland.

Far from considering it as an isolated event, The Center for Seismic Instrumentation and Recording (Cires) estimates the possibility that the country will face a similar situation in the near future. In studies conducted in 2009 to analyze the aforementioned event, it was concluded that earthquakes of a similar magnitude can develop in the area between the coasts of Mexico and Central America. There, in the so-called Guerrero Gap, there is great geological potential to cause disasters of such proportions.

But even smaller earthquakes can cause significant damage. Examples of the above were the seismic events of 1985 and 2017. On these occasions, the lives of Mexico City residents were turned upside down, while the government and citizens rebuilt buildings and infrastructure.

As for the one in 1985, it happened on September 19 of that year at 7:19 a.m. local time (1:19 p.m. UTC), with its epicenter in the state of Guerrero and a magnitude of 8.2. Since then, it was believed that nothing like this would happen again, but coincidentally it happened again exactly 32 years later.

That of 2017 was recorded at 1:14 p.m. local time (6:30 p.m. UTC) with an epicenter on the borders of the states of Puebla and Morelos and left a death toll of 369 in the center of the country.