Tuesday, September 19, 2017

The Latest: Mexico declares a state of disaster in capital

We have to expect smaller quakes not only here but around the "Ring of Fire" for a few weeks time because the Ring of Fire has to adjust to all the earth movements in Mexico from the 8.1 and now the 7.1. Also, many many aftershocks likely will occur unless these are precursors to a bigger one somewhere else.

begin quote from:
The Latest: Mexico
declares a state of
disaster in capital
KWQC · 1

The Latest: Mexico declares a state of disaster in capital

MEXICO CITY (AP) The Latest on the strong earthquake that hit Mexico City (all times local):
8:50 p.m.
Mexico's federal government has declared a state of disaster in Mexico City, freeing up emergency funds following a major earthquake that killed at least 139 people, including 36 in the capital.
President Enrique Pena Nieto said he had ordered all hospitals to open their doors to the injured after the magnitude 7.1 quake.
Dozens of buildings tumbled into mounds of rubble or were severely damaged in densely populated parts of Mexico City. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said buildings fell at 44 places in the capital alone as high-rises across the city swayed sickeningly.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered near the Puebla state town of Raboso, about 76 miles (123 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City.
3:15 p.m.
The 7.1 earthquake was too far from the larger quake 11 days ago to be an aftershock and appears to be a separate and unrelated event, said U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Paul Earle. The epicenters of the two quakes are 650 kilometers apart and most aftershocks are within 100 kilometers, Earle said.
Tuesday's quake was at a known tectonic fault, but not at the edges of two moving plates, like many strong earthquakes, Earle said. This fault was inside the Cocos plate, which about 300 kilometers further east slips under the North American plate. As that happens, there is a "pulling apart motion" of the plates, he said.
There have been 19 earthquakes of magnitude 6.5 or larger within 250 kilometers of Tuesday's quake in the past century, Earle said.
Tuesday's quake happened on the anniversary of a deadly 1985 Mexico City 8.0 magnitude earthquake, Earle said.
Earth usually has about 15 to 20 earthquakes this size or larger each year, Earle said.
Initial calculations show that more than 30 million people would have felt moderate shaking from Tuesday's quake. The US Geological Survey predicts "significant casualty and damage are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread."
3:10 p.m.
Mexico State Gov. Alfredo del Mazo tells the Televisa news network that the magnitude 7.1 earthquake has killed at least two people in his state, which borders Mexico City.
Del Mazo said a quarry worker was killed when the quake unleashed a rock slide, and another died when hit by a falling lamppost.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was centered near the Puebla state town of Raboso, about 76 miles (123 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City.

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