M7.1

2017 Mexico City, Mexico Earthquake

Puebla-Mexico City, Mexico — September 19, 2017

The 2017 Puebla earthquake struck Mexico City exactly 32 years after the 1985 earthquake, killing 369 people. The earthquake collapsed 44 buildings and caused widespread structural damage. The coincidence with the anniversary created widespread fear and added emotional weight to the disaster. The earthquake again demonstrated the devastating amplification effect of Mexico City's lakebed sediments.

Earthquake Facts

Magnitude

M7.1

Date

Sep 19, 2017

Depth

51.94 km

Deaths

369

Latitude

18.348°

Longitude

-98.667°

Tsunami

No

Region

Mexico City, Mexico

Tectonic Cause

Intraslab earthquake within the subducting Cocos Plate beneath the Morelos-Puebla region. The earthquake struck a different fault mechanism than the typical subduction interface events at the Middle America Trench.

Aftermath in Pictures

Photos from Wikimedia Commons — open licenses (CC / Public Domain)

Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons under open licenses. Attribution required where specified. Click any image to enlarge.

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