1985 Mexico City earthquake

1985 Mexico City earthquake

Mexico City – Collapsed Hospital Juárez de México
Main shock and aftershocks of 1985 Mexico City earthquake – M 3.0 or greater(map data)
UTC time	1985-09-19 13:17:50
ISC event	516095
USGS-ANSS	ComCat
Local date	19 September 1985 (1985-09-19)
Local time	07:17:50[1]
Duration	3−4 minutes
Magnitude	8.0 Mw[2][1]
Depth	20 km (12 mi)[1]
Epicenter	18°21′N 102°23′W / 18.35°N 102.39°W / 18.35; -102.39[1]
Areas affected	Mexico
Total damage	$5 billion (1985 USD)
Max. intensity	MMI IX (Violent)[3]
Tsunami	Up to 3 m (9.8 ft)
Aftershocks	7.5 Mw  20 September 1985 7.0 Mw  30 April 1986
Casualties	5,000–45,000 dead 30,000 injured[4]

The 1985 Mexico City earthquake struck in the early morning of 19 September at 07:17:50 (CST) with a moment magnitude of 8.0 and a maximal Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The event caused serious damage to the Greater Mexico City area and the deaths of at least 5,000 people. The sequence of events included a foreshock of magnitude 5.2 that occurred the prior May, the main shock on 19 September, and two large aftershocks. The first of these occurred on 20 September with a magnitude of 7.5 and the second occurred seven months later on 30 April 1986 with a magnitude of 7.0. They were located off the coast along the Middle America Trench, more than 350 kilometres (220 mi) away, but the city suffered major damage due to its large magnitude and the ancient lake bed on which Mexico City sits. The event caused between three and five billion USD in damage as 412 buildings collapsed and another 3,124 were seriously damaged in the city.

Then-president Miguel de la Madrid and the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) were widely criticized for what was perceived as an inefficient response to the emergency, including an initial refusal of foreign aid.