Earth

7.4-magnitude earthquake shakes Mexico

Posted by
Deborah Byrd
and
March 20, 2012

The USGS is reporting a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in the region of Oaxaca in Mexico. The quake took place on March 20, 2012 at 18:02 UTC, or 1:02 p.m. Central Standard Time. The epicenter was 200 miles (300 kilometers) south-southeast of Mexico City.

The USGS earlier reported the magnitude of the quake at 7.9, but later revised that figure.

CNN is reporting that residents rushed into the streets after feeling the temblor in Mexico City. Tourists and residents also felt the earthquake in the resort city of Acapulco.

Earthquake in Mexico.
This visible image from NOAA’s GOES-13 satellite was captured at 1815 UTC (2:15 p.m. EST), just 13 minutes after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake centered in southwestern Mexico’s Oaxaca state. The image, created at NASA, shows a virtually cloud-free sky over that region. Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

Details of the earthquake follow:

Date-Time Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 18:02:48 UTC
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 12:02:48 PM at epicenter

Location 16.662°N, 98.188°W

Depth 20 km (12.4 miles)

Region OAXACA, MEXICO

Distances
136 km (84 miles) SSW of Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca, Mexico
162 km (100 miles) WSW of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
170 km (105 miles) SE of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico
322 km (200 miles) SSE of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico

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March 20, 2012
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Earth

Deborah Byrd

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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. Today, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this website. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.

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