Earthquakes in Mexico City 1985, Mexico

Earthquakes in Mexico

In Mexico there are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences. Earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 destroy numerous houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers and are causing great damage and devastation. Measured by the size of the country, earthquakes occur rather rarely.

Since 1950 more than 11300 people died by direct consequences of earthquakes. 19 earthquakes also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lifes and damages.

Other natural hazards in Mexico:
› Volcanos
› Tsunamis
› The most severe natural disasters worldwide


Back to overview: Mexico

Earthquakes in Mexico since 1950

The strongest earthquake in Mexico happened on 09/08/2017 in the region Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco; Guatemala with a magnitude of 8.2 on the Richter scale. The shifting of tectonic plates in a depth of 2 km resulted in 98 deaths. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami with further victims and destructions.
DateRegionTiefeMagnitudeDeathsTotal damage
02/01/2019Chiapas; Guatemala (San Marcos)13 km6.60
02/16/2018Oaxaca42 km7.213
09/23/2017Oaxaca48 km6.15
09/19/2017Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla7 km7.1369
09/08/2017Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco; Guatemala2 km8.298
12/17/2015Cocotitlan5 km6.62
07/29/2014Oaxaca7 km6.31
07/07/2014San Marcos7 km6.93
05/08/2014Tecpan21 km6.40
04/18/2014Guerrero; Mexico City32 km7.20
08/21/2013San Marcos, Acapulco7 km6.20
03/20/2012Guerrero, Oaxaca47 km7.42
12/11/2011Guerrero25 km6.42
06/30/2010San Andres Huaxpaltepec27 km6.21
04/04/2010Baja California43 km7.22
12/30/2009Mexicali57 km5.90
02/09/2008Baja California5 km5.10
04/13/2007Guerrero, Atoyac23 km6.00
09/10/2006Gulf Of Mexico8 km5.80
01/01/2004Guerrero, Mexico City50 km6.10
01/22/2003Villa De Alvarez, Colima, Tecoman, Jalisco34 km7.529
09/25/2002Acapulco48 km5.30
02/22/2002Mexicali, Baja California41 km5.50
01/30/2002Veracruz (San Andres Tuxtla, Tuxtepec)3 km5.90
09/30/1999Oaxaca15 km7.535
06/21/1999Guerrero (Coahuayutla; Michoacan: Cuitzeo)4 km6.30
06/15/1999Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Morelos, Guerrero5 km7.020
02/03/1998Oaxaca, San Agustin, San Francisco 6.30
01/11/1997Michoacan, Arteaga26 km7.21
02/25/1996Off Coast Of Guerrero15 km7.10
10/09/1995Jalisco, Manzanillo, San Patricio Melaque53 km8.049
09/14/1995Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Mexico City31 km7.43
04/25/1989Mexico City, Acapulco 6.83
09/21/1985Sw Coast (Mexico City)13 km7.60
09/19/1985Michoacan (Mexico City)47 km8.19500
01/24/1983Oaxaca (Salina Cruz)39 km6.70
06/07/1982Guererro, Orziba, Oaxaca, Guadalupe40 km7.09
03/28/1982Chiapas52 km3.510
10/25/1981Michoacan (Lazaro Cardenas)15 km7.39
10/24/1980S, Huajapan De Leon, Oaxaca35 km6.4300
06/09/1980Nw18 km6.41
03/14/1979Guerrero16 km7.65
11/29/1978Oaxaca47 km7.79
03/19/1978Acapulco14 km6.61
06/07/1976Mexico City39 km6.40
08/28/1973Veracruz, Mexico City40 km6.2600
01/30/1973S, Farias, Tecoman12 km7.556
09/25/1968S Chiapas 5.720
08/02/1968Oaxaca, Guerrero 7.518
08/23/1965MeXico City, Oaxaca2 km7.86
07/06/1964Guerrero 7.478
05/19/1962S15 km7.23
05/11/1962S54 km7.04
08/26/1959Gulf Of Campeche31 km6.925
05/24/1959Oaxaca; 6.80
07/28/1957Acapulco,mexico City1 km7.965
01/08/1956Guerrero26 km6.50
02/05/1954Chiapas 6.26
07/09/1951Oaxaca (Miahiatlan) 6.21
12/14/1950Acapulco49 km7.50
11/17/1950Guerrero 6.80


These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Several data have been summarized and translated. Foto taken from National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC, public domain).