SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — Residents are dealing with the aftermath of the Acapulco magnitude 7 earthquake that sent some residents running out of buildings when the shaking began before 9 p.m. in Mexico.
The quake rattled much of southern Mexico, causing buildings to rock and sway in Mexico City nearly 230 miles away where residents lost power and heard a bang.
Tragically, one person died. Mexican authorities say the person was hit by a falling post in a town nearby Acapulco.
“I am very pleased that the death count is as low as it is because when you look at the videos and you see the walls that have collapsed and trees that have fallen down, poles that have fallen down," said geologist Dr. Pat Abbott. "You see enough destruction around that you would expect more people to have been killed.”
Abbott studies the Mexican coastline and points out in his textbook called, Natural Disasters, how the Mexico City earthquake in 1985 that killed tens of thousands of people is along the same seismic fault as Acapulco.
"Another area that we have been suspicious about is right here, we call it the Guerrero seismic gap, and we are overdue for a really big earthquake there. Acapulco is right on the edge of this zone,” Abbott said.
Overnight, video shows many people sleeping outside as more than 150 aftershocks rattled the hills around the beachside resort town.
Dr. Abbott says more aftershocks should be expected.
“This is one of the most earthquake-active coastlines in the world. They have huge subduction zones they are big plates being pulled underneath Mexico,” Abbott said.
Abbott says this Mexican quake could be a precursor for an even bigger one.
"As always there is the potential that this magnitude 7 is actually a foreshock for something larger. Aftershocks could go on for weeks or months thereafter,” Abbott said.
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