Powerful earthquake strikes Mexico on anniversary of 2017, 1985 tremors


A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck western Mexico on Monday, prompting power outages as well as tsunami warnings from the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The quake hit the coast shortly after 1 p.m. CT, per Reuters. At least one person was killed in the port city of Manzanillo, Colima when a wall mall collapsed, The Associated Press writes, per a tweet from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. While there were no reports of immediate damage in Mexico City, López Obrador said there was some destruction near the quake's epicenter, adds Reuters.
Monday's event arrives exactly 35 years after a powerful earthquake that killed thousands in 1985, and exactly five years after one that killed at least 350 in 2017. "It's this date, there's something about the 19th," said business owner Ernesto Lanzetta. "The 19th is a day to be feared."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But however spooky, these repeat natural events are nothing more than happenstance, U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Paul Earle told AP. "There's no physical reason or statistical bias toward earthquakes in any given month in Mexico," he said. "Sometimes there are just coincidences."
The U.S. tsuanmi center said tsunami waves were possible for coasts within 186 miles of the epicenter; per historic data, Mexico's National Civil Defense agency said "variations of as much as 32 inches ... were possible in coastal water levels near the epicenter," AP summarizes.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Exurbs: America's biggest housing trend you haven't heard of
Under the Radar Northeastern exurbs were the nation's biggest housing markets in 2024
-
How to enjoy a coolcation in Sweden
The Week Recommends You won't break a sweat on Lake Asnen or underground at the Adventure Mine
-
Crossword: May 8, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
7 nightlife destinations that are positively electric
The Week Recommends Accra, Seoul, Berlin: These are a few of the cities that come alive after dark
-
Sleep like you are in a gallery at these art-filled hotels
The Week Recommends Prepare to be inspired
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Costalegre: a tranquil coastal destination on the Mexican Pacific
The Week Recommends A quieter, less developed take on the luxurious beach life
-
Clink glasses and gawk at gorgeous views at these 7 rooftop bars
The Week Recommends Elevate your typical night out
-
How to travel in the wake of a natural disaster
The Week Recommends Stay safe while being respectful
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show