Mexico’s Baja California hit by 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake

Last night the Mexican state of Baja California was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, about 10km below the surface at the epicentre of the quake. The closest major city of Mexicali was hit hardest by the quake, albeit only one victim was reported as of this morning local time. The quake was felt as far as Los Angeles and Arizona and more aftershocks are expected. The quake comes at a time where Chile’s second city Concepcion and the surrounding region, as well as Port-au-Prince, Haiti are recovering from their own earthquakes earlier this year. The Mexican city of Oaxaca also was hit by a 5.7 magnitude quake in February of this year, but despite the two quakes in Mexico, the damage seems at this point to be a lot less that that of Chile’s and of Haiti’s earthquakes.

Suspicions of further quakes in the Americas comes with the three quakes in the region, but while all three have taken place in Latin America, the plates which have caused the four quakes are not necessarily connected. Concerns about this latest quake have become apparent as it shows that pressure under the plates that run from Baja California through California USA through Los Angeles and San Diego might foreshadow larger quakes in the near future. So far there have been minimal reports of quake damage in Baja California, but new reports are coming in constantly and it is advised that readers check new updates frequently.

A combination of recent major national disasters in Latin America, along with movements to replace the OAS and an increase in weapons purchases including large transport aircraft and utility helicopters might create a proper recipe for forming a region-wide fast response force to help disaster areas in a prompt and organised manner. Despite tensions between neighbours, often help is offered with open hands and would benefit all nations in the Americas. While individual governments have their own fast responders, locating supplies in strategic locations with proper region-wide funding and the permanent use of transport and helicopters in the region would benefit all and create stronger ties among nations and become the first class response methodology for regions outside of the Americas. Please see reports about Mexico’s quake in your local news.