Mexico

A seismic gap along the Guerrero coast has worried geoscientists for years. Current research indicates that the subduction zone off this coast is capable of at least a magnitude 8.0 earthquake which would cause a large tsunami. According to Maria Teresa Ramirez Herrera, colleague at UNAM, coastal villages in the area are very ill-prepared for earthquakes and tsunamis.

 

In Harms Way is working with Teresa and other geoscientists from UNAM to conduct tsunami deposit research along the Guerrero coast to make a historical record of tsunamis and create tsunami inundation maps. Our hope is to conduct educational classes on earthquakes and tsunamis in the schools of at least one coastal town, Pie de la Cuesta in collaboration with UNAM team. Through presentations at UNAM, we will be training students, researchers, professors and government officials in Mexico City how to apply the three pillars of natural hazard mitigation and methods practiced by IHW in Mexico.