Other deadly quakes to hit Mexico

The earthquake that shook Mexico on Tuesday, with 216 confirmed dead yesterday morning, struck on the same date as one three decades ago that killed more than 10 000 people. The country sits on top of several large tectonic plates, making it prone to quakes. Here are some of the others that have hit Mexico:

September 7, 2017: Measured at a strength of 8.2, this quake was more powerful but less deadly than the one 32 years ago that killed thousands. About 100 people were killed and more than 200 hurt, with the southern states of Oaxaca and Chiapas most affected. The quake was felt as far north as Mexico City, which is about 800km from the epicentre.

January 21, 2003: A 7.6-magnitude quake shook the western Pacific coast, killing 29 people and injuring more than 300.

September 30, 1999: At least 22 people were killed in a 7.5-magnitude quake that struck southern and central areas.

June 15, 1999: A 7-magnitude quake killed at least 25 people in the central Puebla region.

October 9, 1995: Measured at 8, this earthquake hit the western states of Colima and Jalisco, leaving at least 48 dead. In the town of Manzanillo alone, about 30 people were killed when a seven-storey hotel collapsed.

September 19, 1985: One of the most powerful yet in the country, this 8.1-strong quake killed at least 10 000 people in Mexico City, though some estimates put the toll as high as 30 000. The epicentre was 350km from the capital, large sections of which were razed. Since this disaster, Mexican authorities have tightened construction regulations and developed an early-warning system using 100 sensors along the Pacific coast, where the risk of earthquakes is greatest.