Mexico City Earthquake

Background
19 September 1985, 7:18 am
 50km off the coast of Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean bed.  8.1 Richter Scale

- The earthquake caused strong ground motions which lasted for three to four minutes, an unusually long duration of time even for a great earthquake - The shaking was felt over an area of 825,000 square kilometers, with the vibrations being felt even in southern America - Although the epicentre of the earthquake was located on the floor of the Pacific Ocean, more than 300km away, Mexico City was severely damaged as its downtown area was built on a former lake bed, and there was a layer of 30ft of unconsolidated sediments of silt and volcanic clay below the city

Liquefaction
The process where water-saturated, unconsolidated soil acts more like a dense fluid than a solid Caused by strong ground motion during an earthquake Occurs when a material of solid consistency is transformed, with increased water pressure, into a liquefied state This caused the ground to behave like jelly and vibrate with the shock waves, worsening the extent of the damage

Resonance
Another reason behind the massive damage was the resonance in the lakebed sediments, or natural period All objects have a natural period , or the time it takes to swing back and forth, from point A to point B and back again As seismic waves move through the ground, the ground also moves at its natural period When the building or ground has a similar natural period, they are said to resonate, amplifying the shock waves and this will lead to disaster

During this earthquake, the natural period of the seismic waves and that of some 5 to 14-storey buildings were similar, and this caused most buildings of that height to collapse In contrary, many buildings of 1-5 floors of height and above 15 floors remained relatively undamaged
For example, the 54-storey Torre Latinoamericana building survived the earthquake almost undamaged

Earthquake Death Toll, Injuries and Damage

- According to official estimates, 10,000 people were killed, 50,000 were injured, and 250,000 people were left homeless - In Mexico City alone, 412 buildings collapsed and 3,124 others were heavily damaged - The earthquake also caused landslides in other states - Total cost of the damage amounted to around US$3-4 billion dollars (1985 currency rate), with most of the damage caused by the earthquake

Number of people with potable water decreased from 6 million to 90,000 200,000 jobs were lost 40% of the population were without electricity, and 70% were without telephone service of the available public hospital beds were destroyed when hospitals collapsed, making it much harder for treatment for the wounded to be administered

Extensive damage of the twelve-storey high Ministry of Communications and Transport resulted in the near total collapse of long-distance communications between Mexico City and the rest of the world, complicating coordination of international rescue efforts The maximum estimate on the Mercalli damage intensity scale was IX

Preparedness
Effective national programmes should require each school organisation and every individual school to take measures to reduce risks and to prepare employees and students to react in safe ways during emergencies. These school safety elements should include the following:

Education. Develop and teach curricula for primary and secondary school students on earthquakes, societal issues relating to earthquakes and preparedness actions. Use the school curricula to promote a culture of prevention in future generations of the community. Risk reduction measures. Undertake measures to improve the safety of the physical environment by bracing and anchoring furnishings, bookcases, and equipment and building components such as lights, heaters and water heaters.

Emergency plan. Prepare and maintain plans that identify the actions, decisions and responsibilities needed before, during and following an earthquake; the organisation and responsibilities to carry out these plans, including determining whether to shelter or release students or to use school facilities as community shelters; and the equipment and supplies needed to carry out these decisions. Safety assessments. Establish standards, line of responsibility and procedures to assess the safety of buildings following earthquakes, and decide on evacuation, repair and re-occupancy procedures.

Training. Provide training and materials for employees and students on earthquake hazards and actions to take to improve personal safety. Drills. Hold periodic drills simulating realistic conditions of earthquake events to reinforce training and to test the adequacy of plans and safety assessments.

Model implemented to help decrease the extent of damage done by earthquake

Invention of Mexico Earthquake Model- comprehensive assessment of all the seismic sources in Mexico, including the subduction zone along Mexico s southwestern coast and crustal background sources.
Determines the level of ground shaking at a particular site utilizing ground motion attenuation equations selected based on an inclusive survey of research publications and consultations with local seismologists

A spectral response-based approach to damage assessment provides a robust link between ground motion and building damage. The spectral response methodology captures the effects of construction type, building height, local site conditions, and ground shaking based on earthquake magnitude and location to realistically assess a building s response to an earthquake. Hazard data, including soil type and susceptibility to liquefaction, is stored using a proprietary RMS geographic indexing system known as the variable resolution grid (VRG).

Differentiates between 12 distinct source segments along the Middle America Trench subduction zone Soil hazard data for the entire country, with high resolution soil and liquefaction data for Mexico City Special amplification parameters to account for long-period effect for sites on old lake deposits in Mexico City Spectral response methodology to realistically assess a building s response to an earthquake based on earthquake magnitude and location

Building vulnerability curves developed using local expertise and RMS research Accounts for local/regional construction differences, building code changes Like this, the damage done by the earthquake will be reduced.

Prediction on flow of debris

Photogrammetric techniques have been used for decades in Mexico to evaluate hazards. Geologists use digital photogrammetry for fast evaluation of natural hazards at volcanoes. Digital elevation models by using photogrammetric software is applied to calculating ice volume and water equivalent in order to predict debris flows resulting from quick melting of the glacier on Popocatpetl volcano. The methodology is useful in dangerous situations where field work is not possible, and remote techniques are needed to rapidly provide data on hazards.

Protection

Make sure the building structure is in conformity with city government construction requirements. Obtain the services of construction specialists who have experience in earthquake prevention before you begin construction of a home or building. Identify the location of all gas, water and electrical lines. Use flexible connectors and become familiar with the procedures necessary to disconnect these lines.

Large pieces of furniture must be attached firmly to the wall as it might become hazards in case of an earthquake, such as cabinets, mirrors, bookcases, or shelving. Avoid placing heavy objects on such large pieces of furniture. Make sure that big light fixtures and chandeliers are securely mounted to the ceiling. Always carry identification with you. Include basic health information, such as blood type, medications, allergies, and who to contact in case of an emergency Every building should have a written contingency plan. Become familiar with it, and perform periodic evacuation drills with your family. Do not wait until you are caught, all of the sudden, without knowing what to do or how to react in case of an earthquake.

Prediction
30 seismic monitors were installed in states of Guerrero and Michoacn . On Sept. 19, 1985, these strong-motion sensors recorded an earthquake of magnitude 8.1. It was the first time digitally recording an earthquake of a great magnitude.

Measures of prediction to be used in future

Animal early warning

Measures of prediction to be used in future

Animal early warning - In folklore, some animals have been identified as being more able to predict earthquakes up to a few days before it occurs. - Unusual behaviour from several species of animals are indicators. - It is their response to an increase in lowfrequency electromagnetic signals which could not be detected by humans.

Measures of prediction to be used in future

Usefulness of earthquake history Measure accumulation of strain in rocks surrounding a fault relative to the amount of strain released in the last quake. This provides a measure of how much more the rocks can withstand before another quake. Prediction will be more accurate, enabling people of affected regions to react on time, reducing the extent of damage.

Mitigation
Disaster mitigation can be defined as Measures taken in advance to reduce the impact of a disaster . Includes structural measures such as safer building construction. As well as non-structural measures such as education, training and technology transfer.

Mitigation
Ensure that building structure is in conformity with city government construction requirements. Hire efficient construction specialists whom have experience in earthquake prevention Education: Drills are conducted to educate and familiarise people on what to do in the event of an earthquake. Also, posters could be put up at places of soft soil or low-lying coastal areas where tsunami s occur. Can be used to educate public.