Earthquakes
Earthquakes in Puerto Vallarta are not unheard of and we want to set the record straight on what to do in case you ever experience the trembling earth. Our first incident with a shaking house happened shortly after we had settled into our new cliff-side home. We thought the mozo had returned from an evening of too much tequila and hit the wall in the garage below. We ran to see if he was okay but neither he nor the car were anywhere in sight. We peered up and down the road when our neighbor popped his head out the window to say “Hey did you feel that?” Not a thing in our house had moved.
When a major earthquake hit Mexico City in September 1985, casualties were in the thousands; the actual number has never really been defined. It’s hard to imagine a positive outcome from such a tragedy, but monumental measures to make all of Mexico safe were the result. Building codes that never existed before have been enforced and Puerto Vallarta has benefited greatly from these actions.
In the past week, Mexico has had twelve earthquakes, one of them affecting Puerto Vallarta, causing minor alarm. A bump and some negligible shaking; no damage reported. In the past year, there have been 1,208 earthquakes and 307 in the month of September. These phenomenal acts of nature are noted on Facebook and mentioned over cocktails; most of us having become familiar with their occurrences.
If one is interested in statistics and wants to know exactly where an epicenter occurs and how it registered on the Richter Scale; http://earthquaketrack.com will be helpful.
In case of an earthquake in Puerto Vallarta, don’t run outside. If it were to be a big shaker, you risk being hit by falling debris or exposed to lines and cables that may snap. If possible, get under something heavy that will not fall on you; like a desk or table that has little chance of collapsing. Standing against an interior wall is recommended rather than putting yourself in a doorway. Flying objects and appliances in the kitchen make it a place to avoid. Stay clear of exterior walls and windows; fireplaces where bricks can loosen and tumble; and heavy furniture like shelves. Stay clear of the elevator if you
are in a multi-level building. Earthquakes are always over quickly, regardless of their magnitude. We’ve found the occurrence is over almost as soon as it’s begun and have never been compelled to take any real cautionary steps; our best advice is to remain in the safety of your home.
Que cómo es es.
Thanks to our Guest Blogger Adam Garcia for this great article! (Opinions expressed are his own…)
About Vacation Villas of Mexico Founder, Vanessa Cole
The founder of the company, Vanessa Cole, lived in Puerto Vallarta for 10 years and in Cancun for 2 years. She has worked in Luxury Vacation Villa Rentals since 2001.
Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Vanessa earned a degree from the University of Texas in Austin, majoring in International Business and Latin American Studies. Fluent in Spanish, she has worked and traveled all over Mexico and South America.
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