1985 Earthquake

• Science: Earth Sciences: Geophysics: Earthquakes  (167)

COSMOS Data - Consortium of Organizations for Strong-Motion Observation Systems provides downloadable seismographic data from stations in the affected area.

Earthquake in Mexico September 19 and 20, 1985 - The Pan American Health Organization report on the magnitude of the disaster, public health and preventative medicine activities, and international cooperation is intended for health providers and disaster-responding agencies. [PDF]

Individual and organizational response to the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, Mexico. - Report in PDF format prepared in 1990 by the Disaster Research Center of the University of Delaware. Includes observations of behaviors by organizations and individuals as well as conclusions and references.

1985 Mexico City earthquake medical and health consequences and response : Preliminary report. - Technical information prepared by representatives of the State of California addressing medical and health consequences and leasson learned as well as the response by the Mexican government and people.

Mexico's Earthquake 1985 - A student's account of his father's experiences in Texcoco and Mexico City includes data and his personal response to the story.

Reverberations: Mexico City's 1985 Earthquake and the Transformation of the Capital - The video lecture by MIT's Diane Davis discusses the earthquake's implications for social movements, the character of land use and property ownership, and the legitimacy of the capital city's political leaders.

Tsunamis of 19 and 21 September 1985 - Source Mechanism Study - Technical analysis uses seismic and geologic data and empirical relationships to determine energies and source areas of the resulting tidal waves.

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program - Map, summary of destruction, listing of extent of impact, and comments on subsurface geological structure.

Quake brought destruction, killed thousands in Mexico - The summary of Houston Chronicle coverage includes anecdotes from survivors and reporters. (October 1, 2001)

CNN - Mexico City learns from the past quakes - Reviews building code changes and evacuation procedures. (August 17, 1999)

Mexico City Earthquake Survivors Still Rebuilding 13 Years Later - Brief information on the earthquake, with photos and quotes from Mexico City residents involved in reconstruction. (April, 1999)

Some Afterthoughts - Geoscience Research Institute discussion of "two contrasting modes of geological thought: uniformitarianism, which proposes that geologic changes occur by normal processes, and catastrophism, which proposes changes during unusual catastrophic events". (1985)