PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong 5.0 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off The Coast Of Mexico - USGS! [MAPS + TECTONIC SUMMARY]

USGS earthquake location.

March 5, 2016 - MEXICO - A 5.0-magnitude earthquake occurred on Saturday near the Mexican coast, in the southeastern part of the country, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located 46 kilometers (28.6 miles) southwest of the town of Tres Picos in Chiapas.

It struck about 80 kilometers (50 miles) deep, according to the seismologists. There were neither immediate reports of damage or casualties, nor a tsunami threat.

The last relatively deep earthquake occured near of Tres Picos in mid-December.

The seismologists initially measured the strength of the earthquake at 6.4 but later upgraded it to a significantly stronger 6.6 magnitude. - Sputnik.

Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010.

More information on regional seismicity and tectonics

- USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Very Strong 6.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Jalisco, Mexico Coast - USGS! [MAPS + TECTONIC SUMMARY]

USGS earthquake location.

January 21, 2016 - MEXICO - A magnitude-6.6 earthquake struck well off the Pacific coast of Jalisco, Mexico on Thursday morning.

The quake initially registered at 6.9 in magnitude but was later downgraded to 6.6, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake struck at 10:07 a.m. PT and was centered 134 miles southwest of Tomatlan and 158 miles west of Cihuatlan, USGS said.

USGS shakemap intensity.

Jalisco's Civil Protection agency said via Twitter that it was monitoring the state's 125 municipalities to rule out any damage.

The U.S. National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake was not forecast to cause a tsunami. - ABC7.

Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010.

More information on regional seismicity and tectonics

- USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: 5.5 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Mexican Capital, Swaying Buildings - USGS! [MAPS + TECTONIC SUMMARY]

USGS earthquake location.

November 24, 2015 - MEXICO - An earthquake rattled central Mexico on Monday, swaying buildings in Mexico City. Some office workers rushed to the streets in the capital.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera wrote in his Twitter account that there was no immediate word of damage or casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 5.5 and its epicenter was in the sparsely populated mountains north-east of Acapulco, about 160 miles (260 kilometers) south of Mexico City. The quake was also felt strongly there, but no damage was immediately reported.

Because of its site on an unstable former lakebed, Mexico's capital often feels such quakes strongly even if they occur some distance away.

USGS shakemap intensity.

Journalist Eduardo Garcia, 54, said the quake "felt pretty strong" on the 14th floor of a Mexico City office building.

"Anyone who has been in Mexico for many years knows which are the strong ones and which aren't," Garcia said. "On the 14th floor, the procedure is to get close to a column or a wall and wait for the building to stop moving, and then get down the stairway."

Accountant Rosa Maria Olivares, 42, was already on the street when the quake hit, but said "we left where we were and got out into the middle of the street, in case any buildings fell down. I'm just hoping to get over the fright." - KABC-TV.

Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010.

More information on regional seismicity and tectonics

- USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Mexico City Shaken By Earthquake That Struck More Than 100 Miles Away!

Mexico City locals flooded the streets after the quake. © Reuters

March 21, 2015 - MEXICO - An earthquake that caused buildings to sway and forced people to flee onto the streets in the Mexican capital happened more than 100 miles away.

The quake hit at 4.30pm local time in the state of Puebla near Tulcingo del Valle - around 100 miles away from Mexico City.

But residents of the faraway capital were forced to flee shaking buildings.

The city is vulnerable to distant earthquakes because much of it sits atop the muddy sediments of drained lake beds that iggle like jelly when quake waves hit.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said many evacuations were reported in the capital but officials received no reports of damage or injuries.

The quake had a depth of 31 miles.

A magnitude-8.1 quake in 1985 that killed at least 6,000 people and destroyed many buildings in Mexico City was centered 250 miles away on the Pacific Coast.   - The Express.

Tectonic Summary - Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong 6.2 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off The Coast Of Mexico - No Tsunami Warning! [MAP + TECTONIC SUMMARY]

USGS earthquake location.

February 22, 2015 - MEXICO - A 6.2-magnitude quake struck Tuesday northeast of San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The earthquake was about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) deep.

No tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

USGS shakemap intensity.

The tremor was originally measured with a 6.6 magnitude.

The epicenter of the quake was off shore, between the Baja California peninsula and mainland Mexico.

There were no immediate reports of damages. - CNN. [Edited]

Tectonic Summary - Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong 5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Northern California Coast - No Destructive Tsunami Warning!

USGS earthquake location

January 1, 2015 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean off the Northern California coast on Thursday, about 70 miles (113 km) west of the town of Ferndale, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

A Ferndale police dispatcher said there were no reports of injuries or damage from the quake, which according to the USGS's website occurred at 4:16 a.m. Pacific Time.

USGS shakemap intensity

No tsunami warning was issued for the area following the magnitude 5.1 quake, according to the USGS and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Ferndale is about 190 miles (306 km) northwest of Napa, California, where a magnitude 6.0 earthquake in August struck nearby, injuring more than 200 people and causing millions of dollars in damage to buildings and the wine industry.

CISN Uncertainty Ratio Map

In September a woman died of injuries sustained in that quake. - Reuters.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong 6.2 Magnitude Undersea Earthquake Strikes Off The Coast Of Mexico! [MAPS+TECTONIC SUMMARY]

May 31, 2014 -  MEXICO - The 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off Mexico's Pacific coast, around 300 km from some of the country's beach resorts.

USGS earthquake location map.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake occurred at 10km deep in the Pacific Ocean.

Nearby coastal cities include Tomaltan ('Tomato land') at 259 km, a Mexican beach resort city of Puerto Vallarta at 303 km and Ixtapa beach resort at 311 km.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity

The country's capital Mexico City is 877 km from the earthquake's epicenter.

An excavator-mounted hydraulic jackhammer is being used to break up the concrete of the collapsed bridge Cuajilote
after an earthquake struck the area in Tecpan de Galeana May 9, 2014. (Reuters / Claudio Vargas)

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. - RT.

Tectonic Summary - Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismologically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Panic In Mexico As 2nd Strong Quake Strikes In 3 Days - Magnitude 6.0 Hit Southwest Region At A Shallow Depth Of 14 Miles! [PHOTOS+MAP+TECTONIC SUMMARY]

May 10, 2014 - MEXICO - A strong 6.0-magnitude earthquake has struck southwest Mexico just two days after a 6.4 tremor hit the same region. The latest quake sparked panic among local residents and caused some holidaymakers to abandon their hotels in the resort of Acapulco.

RT.

Saturday’s quake struck the state of Guerrero at 0236 local time (0736 GMT) about 38 kilometers southwest of the city of Tecpan, the US Geological Survey reports. The epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 23 kilometers (14.3 miles).

Although no immediate damages were reported in the region, the tremor caused widespread panic in the tourist resort of Acapulco. People ran out of bars and nightclubs into the street and some hotels evacuated their guests as a result of the quake.

An excavator-mounted hydraulic jackhammer is being used to break up the concrete of the collapsed bridge Cuajilote
after an earthquake struck the area in Tecpan de Galeana May 9, 2014. (Reuters / Claudio Vargas)

“A preliminary inspection of the city shows no damages or injured,” the mayor of Mexico City, Miguel Angel Mancera, said on his Twitter account.

This latest tremor was preceded by an even stronger earthquake Thursday, that measured 6.4 on the Richter scale and struck the same region.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity

The quake was felt in the Mexican capital and there was significant damage to buildings and roads, although there were no fatalities or injuries reported.

Mexico is located atop three large tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active regions. - RT.

Tectonic Summary - Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismologically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Powerful Magnitude 6.4 Earthuake Rattles Mexico's Pacific Coast - Shook Buildings Ferociously, Some Roofs Cave In, Causing A Wave Of Panic! [MAPS+ESTIMATES+TECTONIC SUMMARY]

May 08, 2014 - MEXICO -  A strong earthquake shook the southern Pacific coast of Mexico and several states, including the capital on Thursday, sending frightened people into unseasonal torrential rains that were also bearing down on the coast.

USGS earthquake location map.

The 6.4-magnitude quake in southern Guerrero state had an epicenter about 15 kilometres north of Tecpan de Galeana, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and was felt about 277 kilometres away in Mexico City, where office workers streamed into the streets away from high-rise buildings.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage.


Tecpan, near the epicenter, shook ferociously, causing a "wave of panic" and some roofs to cave in, said Mayor Crisoforo Otero Heredia. But there were no injuries.

In Chilpancingo, the capital of Guerrero state, a wall collapsed and in Acapulco civil protection crews had found nothing so far except scared citizens who were forced to take refuge in the heavy rain that was hitting the region.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity.

In Mexico City, elegantly dressed businesswoman Carmen Lopez was leaving a downtown office building when the ground began to shake. She dashed across the street to a leafy median as light poles swayed violently above her.

"That was just too scary," said Lopez, as she quickly started dialing her cellphone to alert friends and family.

Behind her, thousands of people poured out from neighbouring office buildings, following pre-planned evacuation routes to areas considered safe from any potential of falling glass.

The quake had a depth of 23 kilometres. The USGS downgraded the magnitude from 6.8.

A 7.2-magnitude quake with an epicenter about 66 kilometres from Thursday's quake shook central and southern Mexico on April 18.

That quake occurred along a section of the Pacific Coast known as the Guerrero Seismic Gap, a 200-kilometre section where tectonic plates meet and have been locked, meaning huge amounts of energy are being stored up with potentially devastating effects.

People gather in the street after an earthquake was felt in Mexico City, Thursday, May 8, 2014. (AP / Rebecca Blackwell)

Students gather in the courtyard of their school after an earthquake shook Mexico City, Thursday, May 8, 2014.
(AP / Rebecca Blackwell)

In 1911, a magnitude-7.6 temblor struck along the section, according to the USGS.

The USGS says the Guerrero Gap has the potential to produce a quake as strong as magnitude 8.4, potentially much more powerful than the magnitude-8.1 quake that killed 9,500 people and devastated large sections of Mexico City in 1985. The 1985 quake was centred 400 kilometres from the capital on the Pacific Coast.

Mexico City is vulnerable to distant earthquakes because much of it sits atop the muddy sediments of drained lake beds. They jiggle like jelly when the quake waves hit. - CTV News.

Tectonic Summary - Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismologically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Major Global Seismic Uptick - Powerful Magnitude 7.2 Earthuake Rattles Mexico City, Shakes Buildings! [PHOTOS+MAPS+ESTIMATES+TECTONIC SUMMARY]

April 18, 2014 - MEXICO - A powerful earthquake struck Mexico on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital and sending people running out into the street, although there were no early reports of major damage.

USGS earthquake location map.

The magnitude 7.2 quake was centered in the southwestern state of Guerrero, close to the Pacific beach resort of Acapulco, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Some residents of the capital ran outdoors in their pajamas after the quake. Electricity was cut off in parts of the city and some residents said paintings fell off the walls and small parts of masonry crumbled inside apartment buildings.

Luis Felipe Puente, head of the Mexican government's emergency services, said there were no immediate reports of damage and the U.S. Pacific Warning Center said it did not expect the quake to trigger a destructive tsunami.

Nevertheless, residents of the capital were shaken by the quake, one of the biggest to hit Mexico in several years.

"I had to hold on to a tree, like a drunk," said Pedro Hernandez, 68, a doorman working in central Mexico City.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity.

USGS earthquake population exposure.

The USGS said the quake was centered some 37 km (23 miles) north of the municipality of Tecpan de Galeana in Guerrero. It was relatively shallow, at a depth of about 24 km (15 miles).

Emergency services in Guerrero, which is frequently struck by earthquakes, said there were no immediate reports of major damage, but that checks were still being made.

An employee of the Fairmont hotel in Acapulco, said the situation was calm and that guests had returned to the building.

"The structure is fine," the woman, who identified herself only as Ana, said by telephone.

People stand at a staircase after evacuating a building following an earthquake in Mexico City April 18, 2014.
Credit: REUTERS/Claudia Daut

People stand along a street after evacuating a hospital following an earthquake in Puebla April 18, 2014.
Credit: REUTERS/ Imelda Medina

Cesar Sanchez, 24, a student living in Guerrero's capital Chilpancingo said he got a big shock when the tremors began.

"I was in bed, and some things fell that have never fallen. The dogs outside were barking and barking," Sanchez said.

A devastating 8.1-magnitude earthquake in 1985 killed thousands of people in Mexico City. In March 2012, a 7.4 magnitude quake hit Mexico but did not cause major damage. - Reuters.

Tectonic Summary

The April 18, 2014 M 7.2 earthquake near the western coast of Mexico occurred in the state of Guerrero, 265 km southwest of Mexico City. The earthquake occurred as the result of thrust motion at shallow depths. The initial location, depth, and mechanism of the April 18 earthquake are broadly consistent with slip on or near the plate boundary interface between the subducting Cocos oceanic sea plate and the North America plate.

The broad scale tectonics of the west coast of Mexico are controlled by the northeastward subduction of the Cocos plate beneath the North America plate at a rate of approximately 65 mm/yr. Earthquakes are a common occurrence along the Middle American subduction zone; the August 2013 earthquake occurred just northwest of the rupture area of the 1957 M 7.8 Guerrero Earthquake.  Since 1975, 23 events of M > 6.0 have occurred within 200 km of the April 2014 earthquake, including events of M 8.0 and M 7.6 (September 1985), M 7.2 (October 1981), and M 7.5 (March 1979), all to the northwest. The 1981 and 1979 events caused 9 and 5 shaking-related fatalities, respectively. The 1985 M 8.0 earthquake, 195 km to the northwest of the April 2014 event, led to more than 9,500 fatalities, mostly in Mexico City, and generated small, local tsunamis. That event was influential in initiating efforts to establish earthquake early warning systems in Mexico City.

The April 2014 earthquake occurred within the “Guerrero Seismic Gap” – an approximately 200 km long segment of the Cocos-North America plate boundary identified to have experienced no significant earthquakes since 1911 (M 7.6). The plate interface in this region is known to be locked, with an earthquake of M 8.1-8.4 thought possible should the entire gap rupture in a single event.

Seismotectonics of Mexico

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismologically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.

DISASTER PRECURSOR: Watch RARE Footage Of A LIVING OARFISH - The ELUSIVE Creature That Can Measure Up To 56 FEET Is Caught Swimming Off Mexico's Shore, Near The Gulf Of California; Is This A Warning From Mother Nature Of An Imminent Mega-Quake In California?! [VIDEO]

April 08, 2014 - GULF OF CALIFORNIA - Tales of sea serpents have haunted intrepid explorers and seasoned sailors for hundreds of years.

In awe: Oarfish, Regalecus glesne (pictured) are the world's longest bony fish but evidence of their existence deep
beneath the waves is only known about by a handful of videos and specimens of the dead creatures
that have washed up on beaches over the years.

And now a rare fish seldom seen by humans that has an incredibly long, undulating body, has been caught on camera.

Oarfish, Regalecus glesne, are the world’s longest bony fish but evidence of their existence deep beneath the waves is only known about by a handful of videos and drawings, as well as specimens of the dead creatures that have washed up on beaches over the years.

 Now a video has surfaced of a 15ft (4.5metre) long oarfish swimming in the shallows of Mexico’s Sea of Cortés crystal clear waters.

It was taken by experts on a trip organised by Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, PopSci reported.

Like a fish out of water?A video has surfaced of a 15ft (4.5metre) long oarfish, swimming effortlessly in the
shallows of Mexico's Sea of Cortés crystal clear waters - far from its usual environment of
deep waters thousands of metres below the waves

THE MYSTERIOUS OARFISH
Regalecus glesne, is the world’s longest bony fish and can grow up to 56ft (17metres) long.

The oarfish is seldom seen by humans as it typically lives between 650ft and 3,000ft (198 metres and 914 metres) below the waves.

The one spotted in the Sea of Cortés, Mexico measured around 15ft (4.5metres) long.

When the creatures swim into shallow waters they tend to die soon afterwards as they only expose themselves in such a way when they are injured or dying.

The fish’s dorsal fin runs the entire length of its body, which one researcher has claimed can give off electric shocks.

Oarfish can be found in almost all temperate and tropical oceans but are rarely seen.

They are thought to be the ‘sea serpents’ described in old stories.

WATCH: Rare oarfish sighting

 


While the animal is not the largest specimen to be seen, there is little video footage available for living oarfish for scientists to study, as the creatures typically live between 650ft and 3,000ft (198 metres and 914 metres) below the waves where there is little light.

Oarfish can grow up to 56ft (17 metres) long and have a distinctive dorsal fin that sticks up out of the water in the video.

The creature’s swimming action sees it rhythmically undulating smoothly and historians think that the animal is probably the source of stories about sea serpents.

The video, which was taken by experts from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, shows a 15ft long oarfish swimming
in shallow water close to humans in a canoe (pictured). The fish are seldom seen by humans.

Stuff of legend: The creature's swimming action sees it rhythmically undulating smoothly and historians think
that the animal might be the source of stories about sea serpents. This image of 'a great sea serpent' looks
like an oarfish and was found in Hungary Bay, Bermuda centuries ago.

Its dorsal fin begins just above the creature’s small eyes in a reddish crest and runs the entire length of its body.

Researchers from New Zealand have claimed that it can give off electric shocks when touched.

Oarfish can be found in most of the world’s temperate and tropical oceans, but are hardly ever seen.

They eat plankton and tiny shrimp, jellyfish and crustaceans and are themselves hunted by large oceanic carnivores. - Daily Mail.

PLANETARY TREMORS: One Of The Largest Earthquakes To Hit California In Decades - Produces Dozens Of Aftershocks, With More Expected In Coming Days; Chance Of LARGER QUAKE In The Same Area Next Week!

March 10, 2014 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES -  One of the largest earthquakes to hit California in decades rattled the state's northern coast, but its depth and distance from shore reduced the impact on land, where there were no reports of injuries or damage, scientists and authorities said on Monday.

The magnitude-6.8 quake struck at 10:18 p.m. PDT Sunday and was centered 50 miles west of Eureka and about 10 miles beneath the Pacific seabed, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was initially reported as a magnitude-6.9, but later downgraded.
By late Monday morning, it had already produced 20 aftershocks of magnitude-3.5 or larger, and more were expected over the coming days, said Keith Knudsen, deputy director of the USGS's Earthquake Science Center in Menlo Park, Calif.

Knudsen said there was also a 5 to 10 percent chance of a larger quake in the area in the next week.

Sunday's quake was felt widely across the region, but both fire and sheriff's officials in Humboldt County said they had no reports of any damage or injuries. Humboldt County includes most of the populated areas closest to the epicenter.

"Everybody felt it region-wide to the point that there was concern for damage," said Humboldt County Sheriff's Lt. Steve Knight. But other than triggering some home alarms, the county escaped unharmed, he said. "We're very grateful."

There was no tsunami danger for the region as well, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.

More than 3,000 people reported on the USGS website that they felt the quake within hours of it striking, including some across the border in Oregon.

"It was a big bump and then it rolled for about 30 seconds," said Diana Harralson, 64, who lives in an apartment in Rio Dell, about 55 miles southeast of the earthquake's epicenter. "It was a real good shaker."

Harralson said some knickknacks fell off the wall, but there was no damage. A California native who has experienced other earthquakes, she said she and her cat slept comfortably through the night.

Amandip Heer, a manager at a 76 Gas Station and convenience store in Eureka, described the quake as a "vibration," but said nothing fell off the shelves at the store, and there was no other damage.

Earthquakes are very common in Eureka, a city of about 27,000 people about 270 miles northwest of San Francisco and 100 miles south of the Oregon state line. Nearby Arcata is home to about 17,000 people and Humboldt State University.


WATCH: Magnitude 6.9 earthquake hits California region.

Since 1980, there have been 10 earthquakes greater than magnitude-6 in the area, Knudsen said. California has experienced at least seven earthquakes of magnitude-6.9 over the same period, according to the USGS.

Sunday's quake was far enough from shore to allow much of its energy to dissipate, Knudsen said.

"We're fortunate it didn't strike closer to a populated area," he said.

An offshore earthquake of magnitude-7.2 about 30 miles southwest of Eureka in 1992 left 95 people injured and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage, according to the USGS. The earthquake was felt as far south as San Francisco.

It was followed by a magnitude-6.5 earthquake about 12 hours later and a magnitude-6.7 earthquake a few hours after that, both of which caused additional damage. - Yahoo.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Powerful 6.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Northern California Coast - No Destructive Tsunami Warning!

March 10, 2014 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - A powerful magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck off the coast of Northern California Sunday night, the U.S. Geological Service reported.

USGS earthquake location map.

The epicenter was 48 miles west-northwest of Ferndale and 50 miles west of Eureka at a depth of 4.3 miles, the USGS said.

The quake, which occurred at 10:18 p.m. PT (1:18 a.m ET), was initially reported as magnitude 6.1 on the Richter scale, but seismologists revised it upward to 6.9.

The Humboldt County Sheriff's Department, which oversees most of the nearby populated areas, said it had received no calls about damage or injuries, the AP reported.

The probability of a "strong and possibly damaging aftershock" of magnitude 5.0 or greater in the next seven days was 90 percent, the USGS warned, adding that there was a 5 percent to 10 percent of another quake as large as or larger than the initial one in the next week.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity map.

USGS earthquake uncertainty ratio map.

No destructive tsunami was expected, and no tsunami advisory was issued, The West Coast/Alaska and Pacific Tsunami Warning Centers said.

According to the USGS, the quake was felt over a large swath of the North Coast as well as other parts of Northern California. The shaking was felt as far south as the Bay Area and as far north as Oregon.

There have also been several smaller quakes that are believed to be aftershocks in the ocean off Eureka.

Eureka police have told several Northern California media outlets that the department has no immediate reports of injuries or major damage.

A resident of Ferndale near Eureka described it as a "long slow quake," according to CBS San Francisco. He said the power remained on and no books fell off the shelves.



The Humboldt County Sheriff's Department also said it has not received any reports of injuries.

The USGS classified the shaking on land to be light to moderate.
 
The North Coast is considered seismically active and experiences large temblors with some regularity.

A 6.5 quake hit the area in 2010, snapping power lines, toppling chimneys, knocking down traffic signals, shattering windows and prompting the evacuation of at least one apartment building.

USGS earthquake population exposure map.

USGS earthquake estimates and losses map.

In 1964, the 8.8 earthquake in Alaska caused catastrophic damage on the North Coast.

The March 28 tsunami killed 11 in Crescent City and destroyed the city's business districts. Accounts from the time reported that fuel tanks erupted in flames while cars and trucks washed down city streets, pilling up against building.


SOURCES: NBC News | LA Times.

PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Southwest Of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico!

March 09, 2014 - MEXICO - A strong magnitude 6.3 quake hit southwest of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional  in southwestern Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Sunday.

USGS earthquake location map.

The quake was centered 10 miles northwest of Oaxaca, at a depth of 21.7 miles, the USGS said.


Emergency services said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage and it was not yet clear how the quake had affected Baja California Sur.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity map.

USGS earthquake uncertainty ratio map.

A tsunami warning has not been issued.

Mexico is located atop three large tectonic plates and is one of the world's most seismically active regions.

USGS earthquake population exposure map.

USGS earthquake estimates and losses data.

On August 21, 2013 two strong 6.0 magnitude quakes hit central and southern Mexico, causing extensive damage. One of the earthquakes affected the capital of Mexico City and the resort city of Acapulco, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of people. Numerous injuries were reported.

The country’s deadliest natural disaster occurred in September 1985 when an 8.1 magnitude earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City.

Tectonic Summary And Seismotectonics of Mexico.

Located atop three of the large tectonic plates, Mexico is one of the world's most seismologically active regions. The relative motion of these crustal plates causes frequent earthquakes and occasional volcanic eruptions. Most of the Mexican landmass is on the westward moving North American plate. The Pacific Ocean floor south of Mexico is being carried northeastward by the underlying Cocos plate. Because oceanic crust is relatively dense, when the Pacific Ocean floor encounters the lighter continental crust of the Mexican landmass, the ocean floor is subducted beneath the North American plate creating the deep Middle American trench along Mexico's southern coast. Also as a result of this convergence, the westward moving Mexico landmass is slowed and crumpled creating the mountain ranges of southern Mexico and earthquakes near Mexico's southern coast. As the oceanic crust is pulled downward, it melts; the molten material is then forced upward through weaknesses in the overlying continental crust. This process has created a region of volcanoes across south-central Mexico known as the Cordillera Neovolcánica.

USGS plate tectonics for the region.

The area west of the Gulf of California, including Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, is moving northwestward with the Pacific plate at about 50 mm per year. Here, the Pacific and North American plates grind past each other creating strike-slip faulting, the southern extension of California's San Andreas fault. In the past, this relative plate motion pulled Baja California away from the coast forming the Gulf of California and is the cause of earthquakes in the Gulf of California region today.

Mexico has a long history of destructive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake killed more than 9,500 people in Mexico City. In southern Mexico, Volcán de Colima and El Chichón erupted in 2005 and 1982, respectively. Paricutín volcano, west of Mexico City, began venting smoke in a cornfield in 1943; a decade later this new volcano had grown to a height of 424 meters. Popocatépetl and Ixtaccíhuatl volcanos ("smoking mountain" and "white lady", respectively), southeast of Mexico City, occasionally vent gas that can be clearly seen from the City, a reminder that volcanic activity is ongoing. In 1994 and 2000 Popocatépetl renewed its activity forcing the evacuation of nearby towns, causing seismologists and government officials to be concerned about the effect a large-scale eruption might have on the heavily populated region. Popocatépetl volcano last erupted in 2010. - USGS.