# Deadly Quake in Mexico



## Sheilawisz (Sep 20, 2017)

Hello my fellow members of Mythic Scribes.

Many of you know that I live in the central Mexican highlands, the city of Pachuca to be more precise. My city is pretty much safe from quakes, because we are far from the typical epicenters and also the ground here is very strong, but Pachuca was shaken anyway a few hours ago.

I was shopping at the Galerias Mall when the quake came. The effects were pretty scary to be honest, I had never felt anything like that. All of Galerias was evacuated in a hurry. My mother was there too and she remains very scared, but there was no damage in Pachuca and we are alright.

In contrast, there is very serious damage in Mexico City, Puebla capital city and the Morelos state lowlands with many people dead.

I am very relieved that my sister recently moved from MC in order to live in Pachuca too. At the moment I am alright, but I can still feel the quake sensation even if there is no quake anymore and I fear that perhaps strong replicas will come at any moment.

Quakes feel really bad!

At the moment, we fear for the safety of our property in MC and the people that work and live there. They told us that there is no damage, good relief.

Gosh this was a scary day!


----------



## Butterfly (Sep 20, 2017)

Glad to hear you're alright.


----------



## ThinkerX (Sep 20, 2017)

Glad to earn you are ok!

Seems like your sister escaped MC just in time.

Don't blame you still being spooked.

I had to weather a 7.4 shaker here about a year and a half ago.  Knocked stuff off the garage shelves, made a mess - no fun cleaning it up at two in the morning.  

Others were not so lucky; the quake ruptured natural gas lines for apartment buildings across the highway from me, resulting in fires.   

Figured the place was good to an 8, 8.2 when I built it.  NOT something I'd care to test!


----------



## Svrtnsse (Sep 20, 2017)

Ouch. Good to hear you're okay.


----------



## Geo (Sep 20, 2017)

Hello Sheilawisz, 
I'm glad you're ok, it's really good to know that you and your family are safe. 

Now, as person who grow up in Mexico City and knows how devastating these events are, I would like to ask everyone that if you can help in any way (making a donation is most often the best option for those who don't live there), please help.

Personally, I donated to the Red Cross (La Cruz Roja Mexicana), but there are many other institutions working to save people and to give shelter to those who lost their homes, so choices are abundant.

Fortunately, the part of my family that lives in Mexico City are all safe. It took me a couple of hours to track them down, and remembering my own experience during the quake of 85' (at that time I still lived there), I was truly scared something could have happened to them.

It was midnight here in Europe but midday in Mexico so my sister was working, in the middle of a surgery, and I couldn't reach her until she was finished (she could not even leave the OR during the quake; patient safety first). 

My mother was at home but because she's head of one of the post-quake neighborhood crews, she didn't answer her phone until the area had been search, all buildings declared safe, and all neighbors had been accounted for, so a few hours after the quake. 

Anyhow, I haven't slept much working on tracking friends and trying to get in contact with the people I know may need a place to stay in the coming days (because they live in the most affected areas of the city) to let them know we have established a small net of people that has extra rooms where they can stay until their homes are safe to go back or until long term shelter is available.

So again, please help if you can, any little bit counts. Thanks!


----------



## Steerpike (Sep 20, 2017)

I just saw the new coverage of the quake and was thinking of you, Sheila. Im glad you are well. My thoughts are with the people of Mexico.


----------



## T.Allen.Smith (Sep 20, 2017)

Quakes can be scary. Unlike bad storms, they come without warning.

I'm glad to hear you and your loved ones are safe.


----------



## Aurora (Sep 20, 2017)

Sheila, I'm glad you and your family are safe. From someone who has been in several earthquakes, it's always freaking scary!!!


----------



## Sheilawisz (Sep 21, 2017)

Hi there everyone, thanks very much for your words.

It turns out that some damage was indeed taken in Pachuca, but nothing serious. Some houses suffered fractures, but no collapses and especially there is no damage in any large building. Everything here is back to normal, which sadly cannot be said regarding the cities and towns that were hit the hardest.

The problem with MC and quakes is the type of terrain.

Quite large areas of that place used to be a lake, so the ground is not very firm. Thanks to that, when quake shockwaves arrive they are amplified to a great degree and the result is devastating.

I have seen some videos of what the quake experience was like in MC, and definitely in Pachuca it has never been like that!

Geo: I wish that all of your family in MC will remain safe and sound while the quake troubles and rescue efforts continue there. You must have been very scared after hearing the news about the quake! If my sister had been still living at MC, my mother in particular would have gone through a very difficult time all worried sick for her.

That's right, the Mexican Red Cross is requesting donations to their bank account. As you say every little help counts, so I'll be donating something to them even if it's not too much.

They are saying that a pretty large building at La Condesa is in danger of collapsing, but I am not sure if that's true.


----------



## CupofJoe (Sep 21, 2017)

They were talking about the geology of Mexico City on the radio and when they said that in an average to good year, any building can sink anywhere from eight to 24 inches... I began to wonder...
Glad you and yours are okay.


----------



## pmmg (Sep 21, 2017)

So with Harvey, Irma, Jose, Maria, and the earthquake in Mexico, the whole gulf region has been getting pretty hammered of late. There are a lot of people rebuilding and dealing with tragedy. I feel for all of them and glad that those I know of are safe. My sister lives in Houston, and I saw a lot of pictures of it underwater. Its a mess. My thoughts and prayers (and some money as well) goes out to those trying to make the best of as these things play out and we survive and recover.


----------

