On September 19, 1985, at 13 hours, 17 minutes, and 47.3 seconds UTC, a major earthquake and associated tsunami struck Mexico. According to the NOAA/NCEI Global Historical Tsunami Database, the event was assigned a validity rating of 4, indicating a definite tsunami occurrence. The earthquake that triggered the event registered a magnitude of 8.0, originating offshore with an epicenter located at latitude 18.19 and longitude -102.533.
Measurements and Impacts
The historical record documents a maximum water height of 3.0 meters associated with the event. While this figure represents the peak recorded water measurement, impact severity varied across the region. The combined effects of the earthquake and tsunami resulted in significant human and economic toll: the official database records 9,500 deaths, 30,000 injuries, and total financial damage estimated at 4,000.0 million USD.
Sources and further context
Official datasets support the event-specific facts.