Yucatán Excluded from Mexico’s Seismic Monitoring Expansion Despite Recent Earthquakes
Although five earthquakes have been recorded in Yucatán so far this year, the state was not included in the latest expansion phase of the Mexican Seismic Network, which will add 58 new seismic monitoring stations across the country.
The five earthquakes recorded in Yucatán all had their epicenter in the municipality of Ticul, while another seismic event was reported in Chetumal, Quintana Roo, drawing increased attention to seismic activity across the Yucatán Peninsula.
Leonardo Ramírez Guzmán, head of the Seismological Engineering Coordination at the Institute of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), explained that the expansion includes 58 new seismic stations.
Of these:
- 38 stations will be operated by the National Seismological Service (SSN), part of UNAM’s Institute of Geophysics.
- 20 stations will be managed by the Seismic Instrumentation Unit of the Institute of Engineering.
The primary objective is to improve the accuracy of earthquake magnitude calculations and epicenter locations while generating intensity maps that identify areas experiencing the strongest ground shaking and help determine potential damage to homes and infrastructure.
Despite the recent seismic activity centered around Ticul, Yucatán was not included in the expansion program, even as earthquakes in the peninsula have become more noticeable and highlighted the need for more detailed monitoring.
According to Ramírez Guzmán, the new stations will primarily be installed in regions that currently have limited seismic instrumentation, including:
- Northern Mexico
- The Baja California Peninsula
- Sonora
- Chihuahua
- Coahuila
- Nuevo León
- Cities such as Tijuana
He noted that many people mistakenly believe earthquakes do not occur in these regions, when in reality seismic activity does take place but often goes undetected because of insufficient monitoring equipment.
The project also includes a reorganization of seismic instruments in central and southeastern Mexico.
Currently:
- Guerrero has the country’s largest seismic monitoring network, with 34 stations.
- Oaxaca has nearly 30 stations, with two additional stations under construction.
- Michoacán is also among the states with significant seismic monitoring infrastructure.
By expanding the network, researchers expect to reduce uncertainty when determining earthquake locations and magnitudes while improving the detection of smaller seismic events that previously could not be accurately identified.
The expansion of Mexico’s seismic monitoring infrastructure began during the first decade of the 21st century and is now in its third phase.
The data collected are shared among:
- The Institute of Engineering
- The National Seismological Service (SSN)
- The National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred)
Information is transmitted through fiber-optic networks, the UNAM network, and radio communication links to ensure continuous data transmission even if one communication system fails during an emergency.
As part of the initiative, specialists are also developing an online mapping system that will provide free public access to earthquake intensity and ground acceleration maps.
These color-coded maps will identify the areas where ground shaking was strongest.
The system is intended to allow both authorities and the public to view earthquake intensity information within minutes after a seismic event. Once the SSN publishes the estimated magnitude, the corresponding intensity map is generally available about 40 minutes later.
Civil Protection authorities will be able to use this information to guide emergency response efforts, while the data will also be shared with the National Water Commission (Conagua) to assess possible impacts on hydraulic infrastructure, such as dams, following significant earthquakes.
Source: sipse
