2017 Puebla earthquake facts for kids
 |
|
 
Location of epicenter in Mexico and Puebla
|
|
| UTC time | 2017-09-19 18:14:40 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 611834902 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 19 September 2017 |
| Local time | 13:14:39 CDT |
| Duration | Strong shaking for about 20 seconds |
| Magnitude | 7.1 (Mw) |
| Depth | 51.0 km (32 mi) |
| Epicenter | 18°35′02″N 98°23′56″W / 18.584°N 98.399°W |
| Type | Dip-slip (normal) |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
| Aftershocks | 39 (as of 12:30 23 September 2017 CDT) |
| Casualties | 370 dead, 6,011 injured |
The 2017 Puebla earthquake was a strong earthquake that hit Mexico on September 19, 2017. It happened at 1:14 PM local time. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1, which means it was very powerful. Its center was about 55 kilometers (34 miles) south of the city of Puebla.
This earthquake caused a lot of damage in the Mexican state of Puebla and around Greater Mexico City. More than twenty buildings collapsed. Sadly, 370 people died, and over 6,000 people were injured.
A Special Date in History
The earthquake happened on a very important date for Mexico. It was the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 Mexico City earthquake. That earlier earthquake was much stronger and killed about 10,000 people.
Every year on September 19, Mexico holds a national earthquake drill. This drill helps people practice what to do if an earthquake happens. In 2017, the drill took place at 11 AM, just two hours before the real earthquake struck. This timing was a strange coincidence.
Images for kids
-
Tectonic plates of Mexico. Earthquakes happen when these plates move.
-
A building that collapsed in Mexico City after the earthquake.
-
President Peña Nieto speaking to the media after the earthquake.
-
Volunteers and rescuers helping at a collapsed building in Mexico City.
-
People working together to clear a collapsed warehouse in Mexico City.
-
Volunteers moving debris to help with rescue efforts.
-
A crumbled sidewalk outside a hotel in Mexico City.
See also
In Spanish: Terremoto de Puebla de 2017 para niños
