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Earthquake in Mexico today
Was there an earthquake in Mexico today? Check reported USGS epicentres, times, magnitudes and depths, or choose a longer period.
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Latest earthquakes
UpdatedUpdates every minute while this page is visible
No known events in this window
This describes the available catalogue, not an all-clear. Try a longer period or check the latest known event below.
The last 30 days
- Latest recorded earthquake
- No records in 30 days
- Strongest in 30 days
- No records in 30 days
- Earthquakes in the catalogue
- 0USGS
- Magnitude 4.5 or larger
- 0M ≥ 4.5
Data from USGS, updated automatically. This is not a warning; official alerts come from national authorities. Times are shown in central Mexico time (UTC−6).
Where earthquakes happen in Mexico
The Pacific coast: subduction
From Jalisco to Chiapas, the Cocos and Rivera plates dive beneath North America. Most large earthquakes start here, including Michoacán 1985 (M8.0) and the quakes near Acapulco and the Oaxaca beach towns.
Central Mexico: intraslab earthquakes
The sinking plate also breaks 40–60 km beneath the mainland, closer to cities. The 19 September 2017 earthquake in Puebla and Morelos (M7.1) was one. Mexico City’s old lake bed amplifies shaking.
The north: a San Andreas link
In Baja California the Pacific–North American plate boundary runs up the Gulf of California and continues into California’s San Andreas system. The 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah earthquake (M7.2) shook Mexicali and was felt in San Diego and Tijuana.
Major earthquakes
The largest earthquakes recorded in Mexico since 1900, according to the USGS:
- 8.2Mww
Pijijiapan (Chiapas)
- Depth 47 km
- 8.1Mw
Jalisco
- Depth 35 km
- 8.0Mw
Lázaro Cárdenas (Michoacán)
- Depth 28 km
Visiting Mexico
Mexico City has a public earthquake alert (SASMEX) broadcast by loudspeakers. When it sounds, move away from windows and follow evacuation signs; you may have only seconds.
Beach towns on the Pacific (Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, Huatulco) are in the most active zone. After strong or long shaking on the coast, head to higher ground without waiting for an official warning.
Cancún and the Yucatán Peninsula have very low earthquake activity. The official report comes from Mexico’s National Seismological Service (SSN) at UNAM.
Frequently asked questions
When was the last earthquake in Mexico?
The first panel on this page shows the latest earthquake in the catalogue with central Mexico time. The SSN publishes the official report.
Do earthquakes in Mexico affect California?
Earthquakes in northern Baja California can be felt in southern California, as in 2010. Large subduction quakes further south are rarely felt there.
Why didn’t the earthquake alert sound?
SASMEX only alerts for earthquakes its sensors judge strong enough at the city’s distance; nearby or intraslab quakes can arrive with little or no warning.
Latest known event
Latest known event · America/Mexico_City
Sources and coverage
Source: USGS · GeoNames · CC BY 4.0 · Natural Earth
The location is the reported epicentre. Offshore context is separate from a position inside a country. Small-event coverage varies by region.
Historical context
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
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