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| - Mexico sits atop several large tectonic plates, making it prone to earthquakes, such as the one that struck the country Tuesday. Here are some of the most powerful earthquakes to have rocked the Central American nation. - June 23, 2020: In the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the southeastern state of Oaxaca on the Pacific coast, leaving six people dead. Entire families took to the streets, many of them without masks and breaking social distancing protocols. - September 19, 2017: A 7.1-magnitude earthquake in the center of the country left 369 dead, mostly in the overcrowded capital of Mexico City where some 40 buildings collapsed. One of the more high-profile collapses occurred at a school where 19 children were killed. - September 7, 2017: Measured at a strength of 8.2, this quake was more powerful but less deadly than the one 32 years prior that killed thousands. Around 100 people are 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 -- about 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the epicenter. - 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 7.0-magnitude quake killed at least 25 people in the central Puebla region. - October 9, 1995: Measured at 8.0, this earthquake hit the western states of Colima and Jalisco, leaving at least 48 dead. In the town of Manzanillo alone, around 30 people were killed when a seven-story hotel collapsed. - September 19, 1985: One of the most powerful ever in the country, this 8.1-magnitude quake killed at least 10,000 people in Mexico City, though some estimates put the toll as high as 30,000. The epicenter was 350 kilometers from the capital, large sections of which were razed. Following the disaster, Mexican authorities tightened construction regulations and developed an early warning system using a hundred sensors along the Pacific coast, where the risk of earthquakes is greatest. doc-bfm/to
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