An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 shook central Mexico on Monday just on the day of the anniversaries of the earthquakes of September 19, 1985 and 2017, considered the two most destructive in recent history.
EARTHQUAKE Magnitude 7.4 Loc 63 km SOUTH of COALCOMAN, MICH 19/09/22 1:05:09 PM Lat 6:22 PM Lon -103.29 Pf 15 km pic.twitter.com/qc3bYLi9LP
– National Seismological (@SismologicoMX) September 19, 2022
According to the National Seismological Service (SSN), the movement was recorded around 1:05 p.m. local time (6:05 p.m. GMT) with an epicenter at 63 kilometers south of Coalcomán, Michoacán.
First, it was reported that the earthquake was of magnitude 6.8, then the SSN left it at 7.4 and, finally, the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) estimated it at 7.7.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador expressed in a first message from the National Palace that “we are going to start collect information, we wish with all our hearts that nothing serious has happened“.
“The protocols were activatedand emergency by the earthquake recorded this followingnoon in Michoacán. Civil Protection of Michoacán remains alert,” the government of that state, where the epicenter occurred, wrote on Twitter.
The head of the Government of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, reported that “So far no damage has been reported in the City”where “five condors from the Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City continue to fly over”.
“Perceptible earthquake. Seismic alarms sounded. Condors flying over. We are in C5. So far no damage has been reported. More information in a few minutes. The earthquake continues, stay calm,” the capital’s president said on Twitter.
noticeable earthquake. Seismic alarms sounded. Condors flying over. We meet at C5. So far no damage has been reported. More information in a few minutes. https://t.co/8yzxBvZj6Q
— Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) September 19, 2022
Other entities of the South and Pacific of Mexico, such as Colima and Jalisco, also reported that the earthquake was perceptible.
The SHOA indicated that there is no risk of a tsunami on the coast of Chile following the modeling and analysis process.
In relation to the magnitude 7.6 earthquake at 119 km S of Colima, Mexico; SHOA indicates that the modeling and analysis process has been completed, noting that the characteristics of the earthquake DO NOT meet the conditions to generate a tsunami on the coast of Chile. More in https://t.co/Vo04utx05f
— onemichile (@onemichile) September 19, 2022
REPORTED THE FIRST PERSON DECEASED
Andrés Manuel López Obrador later confirmed the first death from the earthquake in Colima, specifically in a shopping center in Manzanillo where a person died from the fall of a wall, According to what was reported by the Secretary of the Navy, Jose Rafael Ojeda.
“In Manzanillo, yes, one person lost his life because a fence at the Coppel store fell, Yes, well, we have to continue, Admiral, collecting all the information and help. Stay tuned,” the president said in a video-recorded telephone conversation with the secretary.
ANNIVERSARY OF THE TWO MOST DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKES
The phenomenon occurred less than an hour following the national macro drill organized to commemorate the earthquakes of September 19, 1985 and 2017, an opportunity in which even the president led a ceremony to remember the victims of those opportunities.
The September 19, 1985 The earthquake occurred at 7:19 local time (12:19 GMT) with a magnitude of 8.1 and with its epicenter in the southern state of Guerrero, leaving more than 20,000 dead, most in the Mexican capital.
On the same date but 32 years later, the September 19, 2017 an earthquake of magnitude 7.1 with an epicenter in the center of the country, between Puebla and Morelos, which left regarding 370 dead228 of them in Mexico City.