MRP ENGINEERING PERFORMS POST-EVENT DAMAGE INVESTIGATION AND RESEARCH
MRP ENGINEERING IN MEXICO FOLLOWING
2017 M7.1 EARTHQUAKE
EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE IN CENTRAL MEXICO
The September 19, 2017, M7.1 earthquake struck central Mexico at 1:14 pm, just 12 days after a M8.2 earthquake impacted the Chiapas and Oaxaca regions in the south of the country. The M7.1 earthquake occurred at a depth of 50 kilometers within the Cocos tectonic plate as it subducts beneath Central America. A similar subduction zone that generates “deep” earthquakes exists in the Pacific Northwest in the U.S. The epicenter was located about 56 kilometers south of Puebla (metro pop. 3 million) and 123 kilometers southeast of Mexico City (metro pop. 21 million). This “deep” earthquake resulted in “pockets” of concentrated damage at relatively distant locations, including Mexico City. Closer to the epicenter, the community of Jojutla in the state of Morelos (approx. pop. 50,000) was particularly severely impacted. In Mexico City alone, the earthquake resulted in 363 casualties, 32 collapsed buildings, and about 1,000 damaged school buildings. The earthquake early warning system undoubtedly saved many lives in the capital. MRP Engineering traveled to Mexico in October 2017 with our Pacific Northwest colleagues from Reid-Middleton, Oregon State University, and WRK Engineers to conduct a post-earthquake reconnaissance. We gratefully appreciate the collaboration with the Colegio de Los Ingenieros Civiles de Mexico and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute in conducting this research.
In April 2018, MRP Engineering returned to Mexico City to observe recovery efforts in the affected region.
FACT SHEETS >>
(pdf) MRP Mexico City Recovery Report (2018)
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