Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca records a 4.1 magnitude earthquake

The National Seismological Service (SSN) reported a magnitude 4.1 earthquake near Puerto Escondido which occurred at 3:40 a.m. local time (9:40 a.m. UTC).

Preliminary information indicates that the earthquake had an epicenter 20 km west of the city, in the state of Oaxaca, with a depth of 8.9 km and was perceived by the inhabitants of the city. .

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, search your house 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: prepares a civil protection plan, organizes evacuation drills, identifies safety zones home, school or workplace and prepare 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 mentioning 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.

He strongest earthquake ever recorded In the history of what is now Mexico, the March 28, 1787, at the time of the Spanish colony. Its epicenter was in Oaxaca and had a magnitude of 8.6. This not only made the earth vibrate in an incredible way, but even caused a tsunami that reached 6 kilometers inland.

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.

On September 19, 1985, an earthquake magnitude 8.2, with epicenter in the state of Guerrero. It was 07:19 local time (13:19 UTC). At that time, it was thought that there would be no more earthquakes of this magnitude, but a similar event occurred 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.