M7.1 Earthquake, Puebla, Mexico

21.09.2017

On September 19, 2017 at 2:14 ET, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred approximately 5 km ENE of Raboso, Mexico. The earthquake occurred 51 km deep. Communities most impacted by the event (estimated population of the Puebla Region is 1,590,256) include Raboso, Izúcar de Matamoros, Atencingo, Atlixco, and Puebla. The USGS estimates 100 – 1,000 casualties are likely to have occurred and predicts there could be up to $10 billion in damages. source

The Popocatépetl Volcano monitoring system identified at least one volcanic explosion and 299 low-intensity exhalations. Also, six volcano tectonic earthquakes with magnitudes between 1.2 and 1.8 were recorded. The Popocatépetl Volcanic Warning Light is now a Phase 2 Yellow. source

The Puebla earthquake was the deadliest to hit the country in more than 30 years and occurred 11 days after an 8.1-magnitude temblor in the south left at least 90 people dead.

This is a report for situational awareness and impacts of the earthquake and includes useful information links. The report is based on reports from social media and public domain sources. Humanity Road activated its Digital Disaster Response Team on September 19, 2017 to monitor the Puebla Earthquake.

  • Humanity Road Puebla, MX Earthquake Sitrep No 1, Sep 21, 2017.pdf

Significant Updates (most recent first)

Sep 21:

  • Preliminary searches of Twitter by Humanity Road reveal people are posting tweets about people needing rescue.
  • Officials say 26 bodies have been found and 11 people had been rescued at the Enrique Rebsamen School . The search for survivors intensified Wednesday when rescuers made contact with a 12-year-old girl and temperature readings suggested two others might be alive inside. source
  • An unaccounted number of people are staying at shelters around Mexico City after losing their homes and many schools have closed indefinitely. source
  • 250 persons have been confirmed dead, 100 of those in Mexico City source, source
  • Fifteen people died from a church collapsed during mass in Atzitzihuacan on the slopes of the Popocatepetl volcano. source
  • The Mexican Red Cross has deployed dozens of doctors and nurses, more than 90 ambulances and its urban rescue unit. In all, more than 500 volunteers and staff were activated in the hours immediately following the disaster. source
  • Rescue teams are continuing to search for people trapped in collapsed buildings. source
  • In Mexico City, the municipalities of Benito Juárez and Cuauhtémoc were hit the hardest. They are home to nearly 1 million people. Many buildings have structural damage and are at risk of collapse. This is creating a large population of displaced people. source
  • Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has deployed four of its psychosocial support teams in several areas of Mexico City, and is closely evaluating the psychological and medical needs in the state of Morelos. source
  • There are people trapped in a mine in Tezontepec in Jiutepec, Morelos. source
  • Rescuers are working to find women trapped in a textile factory in colonia Obrera. source
  • More than 40 people are trapped in Álvaro Obregón, Mexico City. Rescuers are continuing to remove debris and search for survivors in the colonias of Roma and Condesa. source

Sep 20:

  • Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto has called the earthquake “a new national emergency.” source and the country has declared three days of mourning. source
  • More than 200 casualties have been reported in three states. source The highest number of deaths were in Mexico City (117), and Morelos, followed by Puebla. source
  • Seventy-one were reported killed in the state of Morelos, where Jojutla is located, and the town appeared to be the most damaged part of the state. source
  • The Mexico City government says 52 people have been rescued from the rubble of collapsed buildings in the capital. source
  • 39 health facilities have been damaged in Mexico City and the states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, and Tlaxcala. Health services remain largely unaffected. Six facilities received serious damage. source
  • According to Aurelio Nuño, Mexico’s Secretary of Public Education, at least 2,224 public schools were damaged; 212 in Mexico City. At least 16 have significant damages. source
  • At least 25 casualties have been found at an elementary school in Mexico City. source
  • The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is deploying a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Mexico in response to urgent humanitarian needs. They will conduct damage assessments and coordinate with local authorities and aid groups to bring critical assistance to local people. source
  • Search and Rescue Teams:
    • I.S.A.R. Germany has dispatched an advance team to Mexico City, more experts for damage assessment are to follow on thursday and will also deliver a Bioradar system capable of quickly identify living persons under rubble. source
    • 35 Panama Red Cross, National Civil Defense and security agency personnel are enroute to support rescue efforts. source
    • Israeli military is sending a team of engineers, SAR experts and support staff to assist with rescue efforts. source
    • USA-2 Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Urban SAR Team will deploy as part of DART source
    • Japan is sending a 70 Person Team including staff of the Foreign Ministry, National Police Agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, and others. source
    • MSF has 4 teams of psychologists and social workers on the ground providing support for those affected source

Sep 19:

  • Morelos – municipalities impacted include Jojutla, Cuernavaca, Tetecala, Yecapixtla, Jiutepec, Axochiapan, Miacatlan, Tlayacapan, Cuautla, and Yautepec. source
  • Mexico City – At least 20 buildings in different parts of Mexico City, including the Condesa, Del Valle, Narvarte, Centro, Coyoacán and Xochimilco colonies, among others have collapsed. source
  • The epicenter of the movement was located on the border between Puebla and Morelos states, 12 kilometers southeast of Axochiapan, Morelos, and 120 kilometers from Mexico City. source

Requests for Help via Twitter

Sep 21:

  • “Se necesita ayuda en calle Enrique Rebsamen no. 241 hay personas atrapadas y aún no llega la ayuda @SPCCDMX @En_Narvarte”. source
  • “Es Renata. Busca a su mamá en edificio de la calle Rébsamen. Por favor, que acuda la @SEMAR_mx o la @SEDENAmx”. source
  • “Pf. Urge corroborar si en río bamba y cierra vista en lindavista hay 20 personas atrapadas. Dicen que pararon el rescate”. source
  • “#AYUDAURGENTE En río bamba y Sierra vista en lindavista hay 20 personas atrapadas y no hay ayuda!!” source
  • “Por favor puedes difundir que en el laboratorio cencon de la #Roma @SEDENAmx no permitió el paso, evitando la ayuda a las personas atrapadas” source
  • “Querid@s @SGarciaSoto @SeleneAvilaTV ME AYUDAN CON RT? @TheHomeDepotMx URGE ROTOMARTILLO MULTIFAMILIAR DE TASQUEÑA,HAY PERSONAS ATRAPADAS!” source

National Links

 

Regional and Local Links

 

Emergency Numbers and Help Lines

 

  • Emergencia: 911
  • Police: 080
  • Fire/ EMS: 060
  • Proteccion Civil: 5683 2222
  • Localtel: 5658 1111
  • Gas leaks (Mexico City): 5654-3210
  • Morelos: 100-05-15 or 100-05-17
  • For U.S. citizens facing emergencies contact the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City 011-52-55-5080-2000. U.S. citizens in Mexico call 55-5080-2000.

Information Helplines / Report Damage

  • Mexican Red Cross Family Services: 1084-4517 or 1084-4795
  • In emergency situations, do not spread rumors! See official sources: @ PcSegob @ SEMAR_mx @ SEDENAmx @ SEGOB_mx @ PoliciaFedMx
  • Locatel Hotline – reportar infraestructura dañada (report damaged infrastructure): 56 58 11 11
  • Ayúdanos a identificar los daños estructurales en construcciones. (Report structural damages) source
  • Morelos: 100-05-14, 100-05-18, 404-49-98, 404-49-99
  • Mexican nationals needing information can contact the Center for Information and Assistance for Mexicans, or CIAM at 855-463-6395.
  • The US Department of State continues to offer support and assistance to U.S. citizens who are affected by these earthquakes. U.S. citizens in the area should monitor local news reports, follow directions from local officials, and contact their loved ones.

Reunification Hotlines and Websites

 

  • Google Person Finder: website
  • Facebook Safety Check: Facebook
  • Locatel Hotline – reportar personas desaparecidas (report missing persons): 5658 1111
  • LOCATEL: Personas trasladadas a hospitales (list of persons transferred to Hospitals) source
  • International Red Cross – to locate missing or injured family members, call 844-782-9441 or use the International Reconnecting Families Inquiry Form.
  • US citizens trying to locate loved ones in Mexico, call the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City by calling 011-52-55-5080-2000. Please note, when in Mexico, you dial 55-5080-2000. source
  • T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, Boost, and Virgin Mobile are offering free calls and texts from the US to Mexico. source, source

 

Maps and Situation Reports

 

Maps

  • Emergency Response Coordination Centre DG ECHO Map source
  • Open Source Map of damage in Mexico City: source
  • List of emergency shelters as of Sep. 19th. source

Situation Reports

  • UN Children’s Fund: Mexico Earthquake Humanitarian Situation Report No.1 – 20 September 2017. source
  • UNOCHA: Mexico: Earthquake Humanitarian Snapshot (as of 20 Sep 2017). source
  • UNOCHA Mexico: Earthquake Flash Update No.1, 19 September, 2017. source

General Needs

The Mexican Red Cross has requested the support to the citizens with some supplies to be able to attend to the injured people. source

Shelters / Temporary Housing

 

  • Listado de albergues CDMX (list of shelters in Mexico City). source
  • Albergues en Morelos (list of shelters in Morelos). source
  • Albergues en Estado de Mexico (list of shelters in the state of Mexico). source

 

Infrastructure

 

Sep 21:

  • Comision Federal de Electricidad has now restored electricity to 4.63 million homes and businesses. In Puebla, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico, power has been almost completely restored. source

Sep 20:

  • To facilitate mobility,, many highways in Mexico will not charge tolls source
  • .8 million people are without power in Mexico as a result of the earthquake.
  • About 40% of Mexico City and 60% of nearby Morelos state were without power. Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said buildings fell at 44 sites in the capital alone. source
  • Mexico City International Airport: Both terminals have sustained damage however the runways remain intact. Flights are resuming. Check flights before departure, follow general updates on Twitter. source

Sep 19:

  • Free use of Mexico City’s public bike service (ecobici) source
  • Free use of Mexico City’s public transport system, limited service on some lines. source
  • 2 million people without power as of Sep. 19th. source
  • Due to risk of gas leaks people are asked to avoid smoking, making fire or lighting stoves. In case of return to their homes people should first inspect electrical and gas systems. source

 

Communications Sector

 

Status

Sep 20:

  • Domestic and international calls made via Skype to landlines and mobile phones in the affected Mexico regions are free of charge until further notice. source
  • Telecommunication issues have been reported in Mexico including downed telephone lines. source
  • Cell service has been impacted in Mexico City. source

 

Pictures and Videos

 

Sep 20:

  • Facebook Live Videos source
  • Video of swaying building in Mexico City. source

 

Social Media Accounts

 

Hashtags

#sismo #Puebla #CDMX #MexicoEarthquake #PueblaEarthquake #FuerzaMexico #RevisaMiGrieta

Twitter Accounts of Interest

Volunteers Reporting

Allyson, Hermann, Alessandra, Aline, Katelyn