US EditionMexico City Remembers the 1985 Earthquake that Changed Everything
The collapse of a textile plant led to hundreds of seamstress deaths, prompting union formation to address harsh labor conditions and improve worker protections.
- On Sept. 26, 1985, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake devastated Mexico City, killing an estimated 12,000 people and destroying many buildings like the Hotel Regis.
- The earthquake exposed poor construction and inadequate safety measures, while emergency response revealed both heroic volunteer efforts and criticism of inaction by soldiers.
- Volunteer rescuers called Los Topos emerged from this disaster, growing into a 1,200-member group that has aided catastrophes in 32 countries and symbolizes Mexican solidarity.
- Nearly 400 people died in a similar 2017 quake that trapped textile workers in poorly built structures, a tragedy that triggered the formation of a seamstress union advocating for better conditions.
- Since 2004, annual September 19 earthquake drills with improved warning systems and building codes reflect a new civil defense culture meant to prevent repeat tragedies.
36 Articles
36 Articles
Mexico's week in review: Trade ties, earthquake remembrance and a historic 'Grito'
The week of Sept. 15-19, 2025, Mexico witnessed milestone moments and mounting pressures that highlighted the opportunities and challenges facing the country. The week began with historic Independence Day celebrations and concluded with strengthened ties to Canada, while major infrastructure launches, economic reforms and environmental disputes illustrated the complex balancing act facing Latin America’s second-largest economy. Didn’t have time …
On the 40th anniversary of the earthquake of 1985, the psychoanalyst, writer and writer of La Jornada José Cueli presented and continues to tremble, a volume that gathers theoretical essays, clinical comments and journalistic chronicles that explore the experience of trauma – individual and collective. The work traces the conceptual history of the term, its clinical manifestations and its social impact on concrete disasters, especially the earth…
The earthquake exposed how vulnerable and unprepared the Mexican capital was to an event like that
The National Simulation 2025 was held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City. The aim of the exercise is to prepare the citizenry and to be able to act in different scenarios such as earthquakes, tsunamis and fires.After the earthquake of 1985 and due to the catastrophic events, the citizenry organized itself to support one another and consolidated the so-called ‘Topos’, which worked coordinatedly in the search…
Associated Press News
Mexico City remembers the 1985 earthquake that changed everything
Every Sept. 19, Mexico City holds an earthquake drill. Twice on that date the shaking was real. The devastating 1985 8.1-magnitude earthquake left at least 12,000 dead.
Every September 19th, many in Mexico City ask themselves that question. It all started in 1985, at 7:19 in the morning. An earthquake of 8.1 degrees of magnitude and its replicas left the Mexican capital devastated. Official data speak of 12,000 dead, but the real number is unknown. The earthquake was a parteaguas for the city. It started a culture of civil protection, warning systems, new building rules and, since 2004, the realization of annua…
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