2017 Chiapas earthquake
The 2017 Chiapas earthquake struck at 23:49 CDT on 7 September (local time; 04:49 on the 8th UTC) in the Gulf of Tehuantepec off the southern coast of Mexico near the state of Chiapas, approximately 87 kilometres (54 mi) southwest of Pijijiapan (alternately, 101 kilometres (63 mi) south-southwest of Tres Picos), with a Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The moment magnitude was estimated to be Mw8.2.
| UTC time | 2017-09-08 04:49:19 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 611600536 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 7 September 2017 |
| Local time | 23:49:21 CDT |
| Magnitude | 8.2 Mw |
| Depth | 47.4 km (29.5 mi) |
| Epicenter | 15.022°N 93.899°W |
| Type | Dip-slip (normal) |
| Areas affected | Mexico, Guatemala |
| Total damage | $4 billion USD |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Tsunami | 1.75 m (5.7 ft) in Chiapas |
| Aftershocks | 3,831 |
| Casualties | 98 dead, 300+ injured |
The earthquake caused all of Mexico City to tremble, prompting people to evacuate after the early warning system was triggered. It also generated a tsunami with waves 1.75 metres (5 ft 9 in) above tide level; and tsunami alerts were issued for surrounding areas. Mexico's president called it the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in a century. It was also the second strongest recorded in the country's history, behind the magnitude 8.6 earthquake in 1787, the largest recorded globally in 2017 and the largest earthquake worldwide since the 2015 illapel earthquake.