1985 Mexico City Earthquake

1985 Mexico City Earthquake

The 1985 Mexico City earthquake struck in the early morning of 19 September at 7:17:50 am (CST) with a moment magnitude of 8.0 and a 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 mainshock 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 that Mexico City sits on. The event caused between three and four billion USD in damage as 412 buildings collapsed and another 3,124 were seriously damaged in the city.

El terremoto de México de 1985 golpeó en la madrugada del 19 de septiembre a las 07:17:50 am (CST) con una magnitud de momento de 8.0 y una intensidad Mercalli de IX (violento).  El evento causó graves daños a la Gran Ciudad de México área y la muerte de al menos 5.000 personas.  La secuencia de eventos incluye un sismo de magnitud 5,2 que se produjo el prior de mayo, el sismo principal el 19 de septiembre, y dos grandes réplicas.  El primero de ellos tuvo lugar el 20 de septiembre con una magnitud de 7.5 y el segundo ocurrió siete meses después, el 30 de abril 1986 con una magnitud de 7.0.  Estaban situados frente a la costa a lo largo de la Fosa Mesoamericana, más de 350 kilómetros (220 millas) de distancia, pero la ciudad sufrieron daños importantes debido a su gran magnitud y el antiguo lago de la cama que la Ciudad de México se sienta en.  El evento causó entre tres y cuatro mil millones de dólares en daños como 412 edificios se derrumbaron y otros 3.124 resultaron gravemente dañado en la ciudad.

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In an apartment in colonia Napoles, Sergio Tamayo, researcher of sociology and political culture of the city of Mexico specialist, receives us gentle. Comfortable with Sandals on his feet, justifies the clothing with an ironic laugh as it expresses: "don't give interviews, and less so early and on Sunday".    Gilbert Gil between books, coffee smell and a pack of cigarettes, Sergio Tamayo answers the questions of the reporter on the event that marco, his life, and much of the social movement in the city of Mexico. Here his testimony.  What was your experience in 85?  I remember that it was coordinator of Social Service of Industrial design careers. It was very early to UAM in a combi, reading the newspaper. Suddenly felt how everything moved, I thought it was the movement of the combi, bumps, holes, you know, but to see buildings, wires and poles I di account that was shaking. I thought that it had been an earthquake...

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