A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico on April 4, 2010. The earthquake caused significant damage across the region, including 2 deaths and 254 injuries. Infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings and irrigation canals suffered damage. The earthquake was felt as far away as Disneyland, located 340 kilometers from the epicenter.

1. THE 7.2 MAGNITUDE
EARTHQUAKE THAT
SHOOK MEXICALI,
BAJA CALIFORNIA,
MÉXICO.
Easter Sunday: April 4 2010
By: Armando R. Lara Valle arlara@baja.gob.mx

2. The Earthquake Stats
• MAGNITUD: 7.2 Degrees on the Richter Scale.
• DURATION: 89 seconds.
• DATE: Sunday April 4, 2010
• TIME: 15: 40: 41 hours.
• EPICENTRE: 31.128 N and 115.303 W
• DEPTH: 10 Kilometers.
• DISTANCE FROM THE EPICENTER TO MAIN
POPULATION CENTERS: From Mexicali, 60 Km; from
San Luis Río Colorado, 62 Km; from Tijuana, 167 Km.
• DEATHS: 2 people.
• INJURED: 254 people.
• HOMES SEVERELY DAMAGED: 5,200 rural homes

3. The Earthquake Stats
• DAMAGED ROADS: 150 Km of rural highways. The highway from
“El Faro” to the “Kilómetro 57” community, was completely
destroyed, with a series of fallen bridges and extensive cracks.
• AFFECTED POPULATION: 35,000 affected.
• DAMAGES BY FLOODING: Some 60,000 hectacres of crop land
was damages due to the overflowing of the “Reforma” and “Delta”
canals, which flooded 60 communities. It produced one of a kind
phenomenon: the appearance of geyser which released large
volumes of water with a strong smell of sulfur.
• SISMIC EVENTS PRODUCED (As of Tuesday, 18:00 hours): 925
tremors.
• COMPARISON: The quake was one tenth stronger than the one that
demolished the capital of Haiti.
• FORCE: It was felt all the way to Disneyland, 340 Kilometers away,
It caused the theme park to close until damages could be assessed.

7. The Cucapah Sierra which ends at the
“Centinela” mountain and is located
between the Laguna Salada and Mexicali,
seconds after the earthquake

8. La Sierra del Cucapah (que termina en el
famoso cerro del centinela) y que se
encuentra entre la Laguna Salada y
Mexicali, segundos después del terremoto

9. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

10. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

11. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

12. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

14. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

15. Kilometer 20 on the Mexicali-Tijuana highway, near the Centinela
mountain.

16. PLAZA FIESTA, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER

17. PLAZA FIESTA, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER

18. PLAZA FIESTA, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER

19. PLAZA FIESTA, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER

20. PLAZA FIESTA, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER

21. “Vista Hermosa” Private Residence

22. “Vista Hermosa” Private Residence

23. BUSINESS AT THE INTERSECTION OF “J” STREET AND MADERO

27. Irrigation Canals Torn Apart By the Quake

28. Irrigation Canals Torn Apart By the Quake

29. The Colonia “La Bolsa” where two irrigation canals were destroyed. The
water level reached a meter and a half high.

30. Flooding due to broken irrigation canals.

31. Flooding due to broken irrigation canals.

32. CRACKED CANAL BARRIERS

33. DOWNTOWN: Between Av. Juárez and López Mateos

34. CRACKS AND SINK HOLES IN MEXICALI

35. CRACKS AND SINK HOLES IN MEXICALI

36. ONE OF THE STREETS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN

37. CIVIC CENTRE PARKING LOT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

38. CIVIC CENTRE PARKING LOT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

39. CIVIC CENTRE PARKING LOT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

40. CIVIC CENTRE STAIRWAY

41. EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICES AT THE CIVIC CENTRE

42. EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICES AT THE CIVIC CENTRE

43. EXECUTIVE BRANCH OFFICES AT THE CIVIC CENTRE

44. BUILDING BEHIND PLAZA CALAFIA

45. “CALIFORNIA” RESTAURANT, IN FRONT OF COSTCO

46. “CALIFORNIA” RESTAURANT, IN FRONT OF COSTCO

47. BUSINESS AT AV. REFORMA DOWNTOWN

48. PRIVATE UNIVERSITY ON
AV. LÁZARO CÁRDENAS AND VENUSTIANO CARRANZA

49. COLLAPSED BUILDINGS

50. COLLAPSED ROOFS

51. RIO NUEVO, (Av. De los Presidentes) IN FRONT OF THE FLAG POLE
AND ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM THE FACULTY OF SCIENCES’ ADMINISTRATION
BUILDING OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY

55. Home belonging to the Carranza Community in Mexicali Valley

56. Businesses destroyed

57. Businesses destroyed

58. Fallen Light Poles

59. Fallen Light Poles