Mexicans Alarmed by Repeated Tremors on 1985 Earthquake Anniversary – Reuters

By Julia Love

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – On Tuesday, when a powerful earthquake struck Mexico City, it left residents grappling with the haunting coincidence of experiencing a disaster on the same date as a previous catastrophic event 32 years ago.

Just hours after a city-wide seismic drill commemorating the 1985 quake, the capital was again rocked by a magnitude 7.1 tremor, marking its second significant earthquake in less than two weeks. This latest quake claimed the lives of at least 100 individuals in the capital and 230 across the country.

The annual drill serves as a poignant reminder of the devastating 1985 earthquake, which resulted in over 5,000 deaths and still resonates deeply in the collective memory of the nation.

In a country rife with supernatural beliefs, the quakes’ timing evoked conspiracy theories and rekindled old fears. "It seems like a thing of the devil," remarked Luis Pastrana, a 52-year-old industrial designer who experienced both earthquakes.

"Another Cursed September 19," declared the front page of a local newspaper the following day.

In Tlatelolco, a residential complex where two towers collapsed in 1985, residents gather every September 19 for a morning mass to commemorate the tragedy. This year, as the ground shook hours after the service, many gathered in a historic plaza nearby, overwhelmed with emotion, crying, praying, and in some cases suffering panic attacks.

Some locals speculated that the government must have known about the impending quake, while others linked it to North Korea, according to Antonio Fonseca, a 66-year-old history expert. “They believe fantastical things,” he noted. “With no clear explanation, rumors abound.”

Mexico, located at the convergence of three tectonic plates, is highly susceptible to earthquakes, particularly the capital, which sits atop an ancient lake bed.

Experts have stated that the occurrence of the recent quake on the anniversary of the 1985 disaster appears coincidental, with the epicenters separated by hundreds of kilometers. However, Elizabeth Willems, a psychologist in Mexico City, suggested that the timing might have exacerbated anxiety for some residents.

This phenomenon, known as the "anniversary effect," often leads to heightened distress as significant dates approach, and the recurrence of such an event only intensifies these feelings. Willems has encountered patients whose memories of the 1985 quake resurfaced following the recent tremor.

"It’s similar to asking someone where they were during the September 11 attacks," she explained.

Maria del Carmen Herrera, a 60-year-old woman from the Juarez neighborhood, felt a premonition during the morning drill on Tuesday. "I was afraid. I thought, it’s going to shake," she said, adding that those who survived the 1985 quake are left with lasting scars.

Fonseca reflected on the devastation of the 1985 tremor as he watched the ceiling tremble in his tenth-floor apartment on Tuesday. "I say that coincidences don’t exist," he remarked. "This was something I don’t know how to classify."