Mexico

A seismic gap along the Guerrero coast of western Mexico

has worried geoscientists for years. Current research

indicates that a fault off this coast has enough pressure to

cause at least a magnitude 8.0 earthquake, and large

tsunami. According to Maria Teresa Ramirez Herrera,

colleague at  the National Autonomous University of

Mexico (UNAM), coastal villages in the area are very

ill-prepared for this inevitable event.

 

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 Spanish-speaking team visited the Guerrero coast with UNAM scientists to conduct workshops for surviving earthquakes and tsunamis, and conducting several evacuation drills. Through presentations at UNAM, we trained students, researchers, professors and government officials in Mexico City how to apply the three pillars of natural hazard mitigation.