The Rivera Plate is a small tectonic plate located off the west coast of Mexico, just south of the Baja California Peninsula. It is bounded on the northwest by the East Pacific Rise, on the southwest by the Rivera Transform Fault, on the southeast by a deformation zone, and on the northeast by the Middle America Trench and another deformation zone.
The 2002 Hindu Kush earthquakes struck in northern Afghanistan during the month of March. At least 166 people were killed with a very large and intermediate-depth mainshock on March 3. Three weeks later, at least 1,200 were killed during a moderate but shallow event that had a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII. The M7.4 and M6.1 reverse events were focused in the Hindu Kush mountain range area.
The September 2007 Sumatra earthquakes were a series of megathrust earthquakes that struck the Sunda Trench off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, with three of magnitude 7 or greater. A series of tsunami bulletins was issued for the area. The most powerful of the series had a magnitude of 8.5, which makes it in the top 20 of the largest earthquakes ever recorded on a seismograph.
The 1980 Oaxaca earthquake occurred on October 24 at with a moment magnitude of 7.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). This dip-slip shock left up to 300 dead, many injured, and about 150,000 homeless. While it was felt throughout southern Mexico and in Guatemala, damage was focused in the Huajuapan de León region of the state of Oaxaca.
The 1995 Colima–Jalisco earthquake occurred on October 9 at 15:35 UTC with a moment magnitude of 8.0 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). The shock occurred off the coast of Jalisco, Mexico, where a tsunami was triggered that affected a 200 km (120 mi) stretch of the coast. The earthquake could be felt in Mexico City and in high-rise buildings in Dallas and Houston. In Mexico, the Cihuatlan-Manzanillo was the most severely affected area. At least 49 people died and 100 were injured.
The 1971 Bingöl earthquake was a Mw 6.6 earthquake that occurred at on 22 May. It had a surface-wave magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale, killing 755–1,000 people.
The 2002 Burica earthquake occurred on off the coast of Panama. It had a magnitude of 6.5. The epicenter was located off the southeastern coast of Burica Peninsula, close to the Costa Rica–Panama border. Some homes collapsed and at least 11 people were reported injured, both in Panama and in Costa Rica. The strongest intensity reached VII in Puerto Armuelles, Panama. It was felt with III (Weak) to IV (Light) around San Jose, Costa Rica. Shops in the center of Puerto Armuelles suffered from loss such as fallen merchandise and broken window glass. This earthquake occurred along the Panama Fracture Zone.
The 2011 Dalbandin earthquake occurred on with a moment magnitude of 7.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII. The shock occurred in a sparsely populated area of Balochistan, caused moderate damage, three deaths, and some injuries.
The 1941 Colima earthquake occurred on April 15 at 19:09 UTC. The epicenter was located in the State of Michoacán, Mexico.
The 1932 Jalisco earthquakes began on June 3 at 10:36 UTC with a megathrust event that registered 8.1 on the moment magnitude scale. With a maximum perceived intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale, at least 400 deaths were caused in Mexico and neighboring Guatemala. It was the first of a series of seismic events that affected parts of western Mexico during the month of June 1932, all reaching magnitude 7 or greater.
The 1981 Playa Azul earthquake occurred on October 24, 1981, at 21:22 local time. It was located near Playa Azul, Michoacán, Mexico. The magnitude of the earthquake was 7.2, or 7.3. Three deaths were reported, two from Michoacán and one from Mexico City. Some buildings were damaged in both Michoacán and Mexico City. A small tsunami was registered in Acapulco with a maximum height of 9 cm.
The 1963 Marj earthquake occurred on February 21 in northern Libya. The earthquake occurred at with a moment magnitude of 5.6 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). Financial losses totaled $5 million USD, with 290–375 deaths, 375–500 injuries, and 12,000 homeless.
The 2018 Oaxaca earthquake occurred on February 16, 2018 at 17:39 local time in the Sierra Madre del Sur mountains in Oaxaca state in Southern Mexico. It had a magnitude of 7.2 on the moment magnitude scale and a maximum felt intensity of VII on the Mercalli intensity scale. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 24.6 km and approximately 37 km northeast of Pinotepa de Don Luis. There were only two reports of injuries from the earthquake, but later a military helicopter surveying the damage crashed and killed 14 people. There were also 15 people injured.
The 1957 Guerrero earthquake occurred on 28 July at 08:40 UTC. It had a magnitude of 7.6 and a maximum perceived intensity of VII on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. Mexico City and Chilpancingo were particularly badly affected. It caused the deaths of between 54 and 160 people. A small tsunami was triggered but caused little damage.
On November 29, 1978 a moment magnitude 7.7–7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Mexican state Oaxaca. The thrust-faulting event caused severe damage in Oaxaca and Mexico City.
On January 30, 1973, at 15:01 (UTC–6), a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck 35.3 km (21.9 mi) beneath the Sierra Madre del Sur range in the Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco and Michoacán. On the Mercalli intensity scale, the earthquake reached a maximum intensity of X (Extreme), causing serious damage in the region. At least 56 people were killed and about 390 were injured. The event is commonly referred to as the Colima earthquake.
The 1920 Xalapa earthquake was the deadliest in Mexico's history prior to 1985—killing at least 648 people. It occurred on January 3 at 22:25 local time, during a period of political unrest in the country. Mudflows and landslides triggered by the shock destroyed buildings in rural towns across the states of Veracruz and Puebla, causing most of the deaths. The earthquake was attributed to a shallow fault in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It measured moment magnitude 6.3–6.4 and had a hypocenter depth of <15 km (9.3 mi). The Mexican government took immediate action in the aftermath—providing assistance and establishing communication services. Severely damaged towns including Xalapa were rebuilt, while others had to be abandoned. Help to survivors also came from civil society groups, civilians, and the Catholic Church. The earthquake's aftershocks were studied by scientists to determine its seismological characteristics.
On April 13, 1923 at 15:31 UTC, an earthquake occurred off the northern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the USSR, present-day Russia. The earthquake had a surface-wave magnitude (Ms ) of 6.8–7.3 and an estimated moment magnitude (Mw ) of 7.0–8.2. This event came just two months after a slightly larger earthquake with an epicenter struck south of the April event. Both earthquakes were tsunamigenic although the latter generated wave heights far exceeding that of the one in February. After two foreshocks of "moderate force", the main event caused considerable damage. Most of the 36 casualties were the result of the tsunami inundation rather than the earthquake.
The 1912 Acambay earthquake struck the State of Mexico on 19 November at 07:55 local time. It had a moment magnitude of 6.7–6.9 Mw and an epicenter near the town of Acambay, 80 km (50 mi) northwest of Mexico City. Up to 161 people died and there was severe destruction. It is regarded as one of the most important earthquakes in Mexico's seismological history, having been widely studied.
On 19 September 2022, a moment magnitude 7.6-7.7 earthquake struck between the Mexican states of Michoacán and Colima at 13:05:06 local time. The earthquake had a depth of 26.9 km (16.7 mi), resulting in a maximum intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. The USGS reported the epicentre was 35 km (22 mi) southwest of the town of Aquila. Two people were killed and at least 35 others were injured across several states. A magnitude 6.8 aftershock struck on 22 September, causing three more deaths.
