The 1985 Mexico City earthquake was definitely one of the most devastating natural disasters in history. 1985-09-19 13:17:47 (UTC) | 18.190°N 102.533°W | 27.9 km depth These "soft" stories were particularly flexible and tended to collapse after prolonged shaking. Observations on the Earthquake in Mexico City from the May 1987 Newsletter [PDF] Impressions of the Guerrero-Michoacan, Mexico, Earthquake of 19 September 1985: A Preliminary Reconnaissance Report, published in cooperation with the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences, November 1985, 36 pp. [9][10], The earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of the Mexican state of Michoacán, a distance of more than 350 km (220 mi) from the city, in the Cocos Plate subduction zone, specifically in a section of the fault line known as the Michoacán seismic gap. Although the earthquake was located about 350 km away, it caused unprecedented damage and about 20,000 deaths in the city. Ordinary citizens organized brigades to help with rescue efforts and to provide food, clothing and emotional support to the homeless. Although the death toll for the first day is still unknown, many believe the number is in the tens of thousands.9. Centuries-old structures have been reinforced across the city and new construction must comply with very strict codes. The citizens did their best to move on, and return to normalcy as soon as possible. During the terrible earthquake in 1985, these men and women earned the nickname “topos,” which means “moles,” for their incredible ability to go into the rubble to help those inside. [4] In many damaged buildings, just one floor had collapsed. Similarly, after incredible pressure from citizens and other countries, Mexico ultimately accepted help from the United States, insuring that people would receive the much needed help. Together, these apartment complexes were a large percentage of the 30,000 units lost, with the city losing about 30% of its living space. I couldn’t believe that the government’s response to this was awful, how they opposed the efforts for help that the civilians had already begun. [14] However, the most commonly cited figures are around 10,000. On Line 2, there was no service between stations Bellas Artes and Taxqueña. Teleseismic, long-period seismograms show that the first earthquake consisted of two subevents separated in time by … Although the exact death toll was never given, some estimate it to be between 10,000-40,000.15 In the aftermath of the historic earthquake, the government was forced to implement building safety codes and regulations as well as an early-earthquake alarm system to ensure people will get out of structures safely. It is unthinkable that these events could take place, especially on the part of the Mexican Government. It killed thousands of people, injured thousands, and left hundreds of thousands without a place to call home. By doing so, he effectively stopped the search and rescue of hundreds of individuals who were still trapped and injured days after the quake.14 His actions only angered the people more, and many citizens recalled the soldiers actively looting in the ruins of hotels and apartment buildings, taking all the safe boxes and jewels they could find. 0 . The quake Epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean, off of the coast of the Mexican Most of the seriously damaged buildings were built between 1957 and 1976, when the city was starting to build upwards, in the six-to-fifteen floor range. The building that collapsed, as well as many others, were found to be decrepit. Rosalía Guerrero, interview by Guillermo Guerrero. This causes these buildings to shake more violently than the earthquake proper as the earthquake progresses. This structure failed, causing the near total collapse of long distance communications between Mexico City and the rest of the world. Learn how your comment data is processed. Famous city landmarks, like the famous Regis Hotel and the country’s most important television network headquarters, had been crushed, ultimately cutting the city’s most important form of communication with the outside world. [23], On Manuel José Othón Street, in the Colonia Obrera neighborhood, near Metro station San Antonio Abad, was one of the many garment factories located in the city center area. The government's response to the earthquake was widely criticized at various levels of Mexican society, being seen as both authoritarian and incompetent. The old lakebed, with its high water content, is easily moved or compressed. 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