A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico in the early hours of Thursday, September 22, killing at least two people and toppling buildings in the capital Mexico City. The shockwave from the earthquake was felt in five states across the country.
The epicenter of the earthquake transpired after 1:00 a.m. local time in Michoacan State, near the Pacific Coast, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Thursday's quake occurred just three days after a powerful 7.6 magnitude tremor rattled Mexico's Pacific Coast on Monday, September 19, while the country was commemorating two deadly earthquake anniversaries. The natural disaster earlier this week was recorded on the same day of the major earthquakes on September 19 in 2017 and 1985, which hundreds and thousands of people dead.
Multiple sources attribute Monday's incident as a "cursed anniversary" due to three lethal quakes occurring on the same date in a span of five years and 32 years. Some reports consider the latest earthquake was an aftershock. However, authorities consider it as a new earthquake given the intensity of its magnitude and interval with the quake on Monday, where at least one person was killed.
Regardless, the Pacific Coast or western coast of Mexico falls along the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire." It is a horse shoe-shaped region across the Pacific Ocean where seismic activity due to active tectonic plate movements are present. As a result, the occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common within the Ring of Fire, which also encompasses the West Coast of the United States.
New Mexico Earthquake
The specific epicenter location of the 6.8 magnitude tremor was 53 miles from the coastal town of Lazaro Cardenas in Michoacan State. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stated the aftershock was felt not only in Michoacan but also in the neighboring states of Colima, Jalisco, Guerrero, and Mexico City, as cited by AccuWeather.
The first fatality in the capital was a woman living in the city's Doctores neighborhood, where she fell down the stairs and hit her head, according to local law enforcement.
Purportedly caused by the seismic event, the second fatality was a man from the city's Educacion neighborhood where he died from heart attack, Mexico City Governor Claudia Sheinbaum confirms.
Also Read: Spooky Coincidence: Did Earthquakes Hit Mexico on the Same Day Three Times?
Earthquake Damage
The strong earthquake not only resulted in casualties but it also damaged infrastructure and triggered landslides.
In particular, the quake damaged buildings and caused a landslide on a highway linking the states of Guerrero and Michoacan along the coast, ABC News reports.
Potential Aftershock
In a video report by The Weather Channel on Thursday, the 6.8 magnitude earthquake occurred in the same area where the major quake earlier this week occurred. This makes the former a reportedly aftershock candidate.
Unlike weather and climatic periods, earthquakes are harder to predict since they have no specific timeline of rest or peak seasons. Yet, previous main identifiable earthquakes are frequently followed by aftershocks, characterized by the USGS as a follow-up tremor with a lesser magnitude at times.
Related Article: Powerful 7.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Mexico During Deadly Quake Anniversary: At Least One Dead