On the 19th of September 1985 a 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Michoacan state, 65km west of the Pacific Ocean. The state is about 350km away from the Mexico city in the eas.t
Causes
The earthquake was caused when the Cocos Plate containing oceanic crust subducted beneath the North American Plate of continental crust. The collision effect created an 8.1 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake damage was assisted by weak incohesive soils of the drained Lake Texcoco which amplified the shock waves. After-shocks were felt after the earthquake; one on 20 September (7.5), and the other in April 1986 (7.0
Effects
Affected areas
- Jalisco
- Colima
- Michoacán
- Mexico
- Veracruz
- Guerrero
- Morelos
The death toll was a staggering 25 000; some figures place it between 5 000 -45 000.
Estimated 30 000 injured- 3 000 buildings were completely destroyed with 100 000 damaged. Some buildings collapsed from the top than at the bottom.
- 37 schools destroyed and 1 687 damaged affecting 1.5 million students.
- Hotels including Regis and Versailles were destroyed
- Health centers including Juarez were destroyed which made treating the injured impossible.
- Landslides
- Gas mains broke, fires & explosions.
- Severe water shortages and contamination.
- Telecommunications destroyed making communications impossible
- Destruction to infrastructure, public services and economic activities costed an estimated $4 billion.
Response
- 4 000 rescued.
- About 9 600 received treatment
- Army deployed to rescue people and property and prevent looting.
- Removal of rubble to rescue survived citizens
- Corrupt government impeded rescue and alleviation efforts
