Mexico City earthquake of 1985

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earthquake of a moment magnitude of 8.0 whose main shock occurred at 7:18 AM on Sept. 19, 1985. The cause was a fault slip along the subduction slab under the Pacific coast of Mexico. Although 250 miles (400 km) from the epicentre, Mexico City suffered major building damage, and more than 10,000 of its inhabitants were reported killed. The highest intensity was in the central city, which is constructed on a former lake bed. The ground motion there measured five times that in the outlying districts, which have different soil foundations.

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