Earthquake in Mexico Planeta.com

Earthquake in Mexico
Planeta.com
Oaxaca City, Mexico (March 24) - Top of the talking points this week is the earthquake, aka sismo, on Wednesday. Brutal! screamed the Noticias headline. That said, the earth simple rolled underneath. Reports are coming in of major structural damage, ...
See all stories on this topic » 

PLANETA Earthquake in Mexico EARTHQUAKES WIKI Publication date: March 2012

FLICKR ALBUM: Oaxaca 2012

Oaxaca City, Mexico (March 24) - Top of the talking points this week is the earthquake, aka sismo, on Wednesday. Brutal! screamed the Noticias headline. That said, the earth simple rolled underneath. Reports are coming in of major structural damage, but there were only a few human casualties. For those keeping track of earthquakes in Oaxaca, check out the wiki. Also, check out the Storify feature. On a personal note, I am grateful to friends and family posting queries on Facebook and via email. Headline news causes panic when it does not need to, yet by default it invariably stokes the fears of worst possible scenarios. Talking Point #2: U.S. President Obama's daughter visited Oaxaca. This made the news big time with locals exchanging queries of sightings. Talking Point #3: Since part of the roof of the Guelaguetza Auditorium collapsed a week ago, the decision was made to bring the entire structure down. This is not related to the earthquake.

FLICKR  Oaxaca Today ONLINE FLICKR WIKI  Earthquakes in Oaxaca  Earthquakes ONLINE WIKI

Malia Obama Visits Mexico Mar 23 2012 1:43PM

Malia Obama Visits Mexico
HispanicBusiness.com
While in Oaxaca on a trip planned through her school, Malia volunteered at an orphanage, visited archaeological sites and hung out in the town plaza, The New York Times reported Thursday. US State Department travel advisories have been hurtful to ...
See all stories on this topic » 

Malia Obama Visits Mexico

Mar 23 2012 1:43PM

Mexican officials said a trip to the country made by 13-year-old Malia Obama, U.S. President Barack Obama's daughter, was a "a compliment." While in Oaxaca on a trip planned through her school, Malia volunteered at an orphanage, visited archaeological sites and hung out in the town plaza, The New York Times reported Thursday. U.S. State Department travel advisories have been hurtful to Mexico's tourism, especially a spring break warning issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety suggesting that Texans avoid Mexico altogether. "It's a compliment that the daughter of President Obama and her friends have decided to live the experience of Oaxaca," said Jose Zorrilla, the state secretary for tourism and economic development. The White House ordered English-language media outlets pull stories of Malia's trip from their Web sites this week. The blackout was lifted Tuesday after earthquakes hit Mexico to assure everybody she was safe. Zorrilla said the visit was not as secretive in Mexico: "The reality is that Oaxaca isn't that big and it isn't that easy to hide 10 girls and that security."

Source: Copyright United Press International 2012

Magew fire spinning at Mazunte Beach

Magew fire spinning at Mazunte Beach - YouTube Magew fire spinning in Mazunte 2012 outside Rio"s Collectivo. www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBLSeE_mqq0

Puerto Escondido: Surfing Destination? March 19, 2012 12:08PM

Puerto: Surfing Destination? Posted by Ozmandius

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Ozmandius Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 12:08PM

IP/Host: ---.prod-infinitum.com.mx Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 73

Puerto Escondido:

Surfing destination?

I first surfed Zicatela Point over twenty years ago. This morning there were more fishing boats in the line up than surfers. Their were three meter sets of six waves and the fisherboys had to race through the line up to keep from being swamped by the waves, or worse.

From my point of view this is childish behavior on the part of the fisherboys. Men will risk their own lives, but not at the expense of someone else's. That is the difference between fishermen and fisherboys...

Must someone be killed before the adults come forward and put a stop to this?

papa chango

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Dogtown Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 01:28PM

IP/Host: ---.prod-infinitum.com.mx Registered: 12 months ago Posts: 317

I think there is just as much chance of a surfer killing another surfer out there at the point these days. Today was down right comical to watch as the 35+ people in the water crashed and run each other over. Good luck getting any sympathy from the fishheads as they are out there trying to feed their families.

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Ozmandius Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 02:14PM

IP/Host: ---.prod-infinitum.com.mx Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 73

Maturity, not sympathy..

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delmar Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 06:57PM

IP/Host: ---.san.res.rr.com Registered: 3 years ago Posts: 206

My daughter is pretty new to surfing, but she asked me the other day "Why to people have to fish right in front of the surf line-up?" I guess the fishermen will have to answer this one.

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Dogtown Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 07:11PM

IP/Host: ---.prod-infinitum.com.mx Registered: 12 months ago Posts: 317

Unfortunately the rocks that make the point break also create a nice feeding ground for the fish. Looks like we're all going to have to live together cause the fishermen are always going to come if the baitfish are there. Best when the swell gets big and the boats get scared away.

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mexpipe10 Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 07:36PM

IP/Host: ---.lightspeed.dlmrca.sbcglobal.net Registered: 1 year ago Posts: 534

the fisherman know what they are doing...they always come close..a miss is good as a mile..besides they are working out there not recreating so how can one complain?

Reply Quote

MMK Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 08:00PM

IP/Host: 216.110.116.--- Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 258

Visit PXM 3 to 4 times eazh year. Walk the beaches every day and have not seen anything like you are describing. Not doubting you, however is this happening where Zicetala curves toward the point? Have seen a couple of boats just out before the waves break but nothing close to what you are describing. Perhaps they are not there before 10:00.

Reply Quote

driftplastic Re: Puerto: Surfing Destination?  March 19, 2012 08:13PM

IP/Host: ---.sdf.bellsouth.net Registered: 5 years ago Posts: 2,506

they were there everyday i went to the point. they never hit anything til they do.

they are just trying to catch fish to survive.

i had been surfing the point since 1977 but no more. shthead locals who need every wave and too many starters. they need to spread that surf rental school back along the beach.

it just isn't very good very often this time of the year. try summer.

gottagobye
driftllastic

Breaking down the top ten sessions of the 2012 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards
Surfline.com Surf News
May 29th-June 1st, 2011; Punta de Lobos, Chile/ Puerto Escondido, Mexico Californian surfers have seen this scenario many times: massive Southern Hemi blasts South and Central America before filtering northward; only the outer portion of the swell ...
See all stories on this topic »

March 21, 2012

Breaking down the top ten sessions of the 2012 Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards

Update: Click here for the photo and video slideshow

What's the biggest wave you've ever surfed?

We know, it's a tough question. A bit of a Catch 22, really -- if the number is too low you're a kook, if it's too high you're a liar. But honestly, how big have you gone? Head-high? Double-overhead? 20-foot? And if it's the latter, do you mean 20 feet on the face, or from the back. Mortal scale or Hawaiian scale? Did you paddle into that beast, or were you towed in? And what kind of "big wave" was it exactly: reef pass, pointbreak, outer reef or beachbreak? What kind of swell interval and direction were you dealing with? And where exactly did you ride it? Because let's face it: dropping into 20-foot Tres Palmas is a little bit different than falling 20-feet out of the sky at one of those spooky-cold Emerald Isle slabs.
On the surface, the question seems simple enough, until you start unearthing all those mitigating/ aggravating factors that compartmentalize the most adrenalized waveriding experience of your life. And that's just one wave, for one surfer.

So you can only imagine how difficult it must be for the brain trust (surfers, photographers, editors, and writers) determining the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards. They have to take all that data and more into account, tediously reviewing photographic and video evidence of hundreds of rides from nearly every heavy-water badass on the planet and associated come-ups. Then they have to subjectively determine a handful of "winners."

As the XXL event period draws to close, here's a sampling of how Mother Earth distributed her atmospheric goods for this year's entrants:

1. May 17th, 2011; Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania:

"Biggest Shipstern's ever." That's how the local blokes put it. "As big as it gets really... The biggest forecast I've ever seen." Okay, so you're saying it's big? With the event period igniting on March 21st, the first giant swell of the season took its time in reaching the world's most terrifying staircase this side of an Aztec temple, Shipstern Bluff. But once it did, it came packing 33-feet-at-16-second juice or something ridiculous like that. By the time the sun set on May 17th, the boys had logged several rides worthy of early entry into the Monster Tube and Verizon Wipeouts categories; while Marti Paradisis, Rudi Schwartz and Tyler Hollmer-Cross would also earn Ride of the Year consideration. Not a bad run considering Tazzy's first mates were calling this day "barely rideable."

But then again, isn't Shipstern always just "barely rideable"?
Video Highlights: http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/primetime/biggest-shipsterns-ever-part-2_56109


2. May 29th-June 1st, 2011; Punta de Lobos, Chile/ Puerto Escondido, Mexico

Californian surfers have seen this scenario many times: massive Southern Hemi blasts South and Central America before filtering northward; only the outer portion of the swell train finding a suitable Golden State stopping station. And let's face it: those places are usually packed. But a swell like this was, as Jamie Sterling put it, "rarer than seared Ahi Poke. I haven't seen a 12 to 20-foot swell with 20-second-plus period with that much south since the early 2000s." While more presbyopic vets like Greg Long actually chased this thing from the Quiksilver Ceremonial Punta de Lobos Invitational to Puerto Escondido -- others sat tight at their favorite junction and waited for their train... or their train wreck. Four Ride of the Year entrants blew whistles from Punta de Lobos while Long stroked into a Monster Tube contender at Puerto. "This was the biggest swell I've seen in over five years," said Skindog Collins about the Mex sesh. "And the biggest I've seen paddled."

Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/west-coast-south-swell-photo-coverage_56377/



3. July 12th, 2011; Cloudbreak, Fiji

In between the days of pricey novelty and Dream Tour fixation happened one of the top-five biggest and best days of surfing Tavarua Island has ever seen. The Fijian government's decree to liberalize access to all surfbreaks was barely one year old when this "Fiji Megaswell" dropped 12-foot-plus Cloudbreak bombs on a mostly Hawaiian cadre (plus the odd Aussie, Californian and reigning World Champ playing hooky from J-Bay). And it was so... effin'... perfect. Ryan Hipwood, Kohl Christensen and Mark Healey became instant Ride of the Year contenders while Dave Wassel suffered a two-wave hold-down and Garrett McNamara got his accessories kicked in the worst GoPro-mounted SUP thrashing in history. July 12th would've easily gone as the most bizarre swell event the South Pacific has seen in many years -- if not for what happened next.
Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/templates/article.cfm?id=57570
Video Highlights:
Part One: http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/primetime/tavarua-dreaming-part-one_57636
Part two: http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/primetime/tavarua-dreaming-part-two_57840


4. August 27th, 2011; Teahupo'o, Tahiti

This is what happened next: End of the Road. Teahupo'o. Chopes. Tahiti. The infamous "Code Red" swell that conspired with the Billabong Pro Teahupo'o to scare the living shit out of four-fifths of the ASP World Tour (particularly the directors), was so massive, so powerful, so profoundly terrifying, it effectively blew surf journalist supreme Nick Carroll's mind right out the stratosphere, inspiring its own book/ DVD project -- Teahupo'o: Ten Days That Changed Surfing -- to complement the miles of print and online press this historic swell event earned from every surf media outlet on Earth. Carroll admitted having trouble putting the intensity of the August 27th experience into words in his Surfline report, so we won't even try. Suffice to say, 35 of the total 93 Ride of the Year entries came from this single swell on this single day.

Full Story:
http://www.surfline.com/templates/article.cfm?id=58716
Video Highlights:
http://www.surfline.com/video/contests/2011-billabong-pro-tahiti-recap_58768


5. September 27th, 2011; Sunset, South Africa

It was a slow season for the deepwater breaks off Africa's Cape Peninsula before a long-period WSW swell arrived via intense low-pressure that packed 50-knot winds and 40-foot seas. With high pressure prevailing during a slim, two-hour window, clean 17-feet-at-16-second conditions challenged those who'd been waiting for Kommetjie's big-wave beacon, Sunset Reef, to turn on. The day made for some worthy XXL entries, while also serving as the coming-out party for 15-year-old Max Armstrong, who threw himself over the ledge alongside Josh Redman, Twiggy Baker and others who negotiated the crowded but supportive lineup. Before the wind came up and turned this into a tow-only situation, the Sunset session did allow for South Africa's fourth Rebel Session -- a freesurf-based big-wave contest where judges analyze video footage and photos to award prizes based on the most epic rides. Sound familiar?

Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/big-swell-in-south-africa_60702/

6. October 16th, 2011; West Oz Bombie/ The Right, Australia

"Heavier than I've surfed it before," marveled Mark Mathews, who joined fellow Aussienauts like Richie Vass, Laurie Towner, Ryan Hipwood, Phil Read and bodyboarder Brad Hughes for a date with The Right. "Three two-wave hold-downs in a surf, that's pretty nuts." A few nauseatingly filthy XXL entries resulted, the video below telling the tale of this swell better than anything else. Except for maybe the local boat driver, Blue Bowden, who leaves us haunted with a chilling question: "How many times can you cheat death and get away with it?"
Video highlights:
http://www.surfline.com/surflinetv/primetime/righteous_62297



7. October 30th-November 1st, 2011; La Vaca, Spain/ Santa Marina Island, Spain/ Priaia do Norte, Portugal
One or two mainstream key jockeys prematurely claimed Garrett McNamara having ridden the elusive 100-foot wave here in Portugal. The jury's still out on that one, but one thing's for certain: GMac's commitment to exploring the Nazaré Canyon, a rare geomorphology phenomenon located in front of Praia do Norte, resulted in a descent that easily catapulted him into XXL contention status, including a Ride of the Year entry. While other Spanish summits from this swell were included in several categories, the novelty of what this Hawaiian madman did here in Portugal stands alone. "They are probably the biggest waves in the world with this kind of bottom (beachbreak)," said GMac when first considering this region a viable big-wave option. A year later, he proved that theory correct.
Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/gmac-goes-xxl_62342/


8. January 3rd-6th, 2012; Outer Reef, Oahu/ Peahi, Maui/ Maverick's, California/ Todos Santos, Mexico
Jamie Mitchell at Todos Santos, Koa Rothman at an Oahu outer reef, Mark Healey and Ben Andrews at Maverick's, and a whole legion of psychos at Peahi... That's how many XXL contenders you get when a large-scale, well-forecast NPAC swell marches across the Pacific and lights up every big-wave spot in its fetch: Todos, Mavs, Jaws... Even Waimea broke (sort of). While an all-paddle session took precedence over four-stroke stoke while the wind was down in Maui, giant unruly surfed washed through most Oahu breaks, a 50-foot rogue even ringing an outer reef's bell. By the time Mex and NorCal were getting in on the action, they were already preparing for another massive swell.
Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/npac-goes-xxl-take-two_64595/

9. January 30th-February 8th, 2012; Maverick's, California/ Central Coast, California/ Outer Reef, Oahu/ Peahi, Maui

"There were some 45-foot faces out there," said Skindog about a day at Maverick's. "I haven't seen a swell like this in a while." Between Mavs, Jaws, Oahu outer reefs and one anonymous Central Coast slab, this behemoth swell resulted in 12 Ride of the Year entrants. Once Pipe started washing through to delay the Volcom Pipe Pro, attention shifted to Waimea (where a dude's leg was broken and Sunny Garcia nearly drowned), and the outer reefs (where Alex Gray got five stitches and a giant purple blob on his leg), and then Jaws (which claimed a jet-ski and a bunch of surfboards), and so on. But no matter what the XXL panel determines, the real winner in this swell might've been Monster Tube contender and Central Cal slab fiend Chad Jackson. "Chad was one of two surfers, all day. Nobody else surfed!" exclaimed photographer Mike Jones. "This was the biggest and cleanest day I've ever shot out here in the past 10 years."
Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/hawaii-swell-photos_66541/

10. March 8th, 2012; Mullaghmore Head, Ireland

With the XXL event period's end date less than two weeks away (dusk of Vernal Equinox), the Emerald Isle was blessed with an active sea state producing a great run of late-winter surf before a massive storm granted extra-large treachery at the Lord of the Rings-ish sounding slab known as "Mullaghmore." With strong high-pressure centered over the Azores, a large pressure gradient over the North Atlantic set up a strong, broad fetch directed towards Ireland and Scotland. Waves in excess of 50-feet within the system were confirmed by satellite data (while ice-cream headaches and soiled shorts were confirmed by many more), allowing a hearty blend of Irish lads to shake up the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards like the frothy head of a stout at last call.
Full story:
http://www.surfline.com/templates/article.cfm?id=67891

$50,000 BILLABONG XXL RIDE OF THE YEAR AWARD (locations)

4/11/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti/ Cloudbreak, Fiji
5/17/11: Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania
5/19/11: Puerto Escondido, Mexico
5/29/11: Punta de Lobos, Chile
6/24/11: El Buey, Chile
7/2/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
7/12/11: Cloudbreak, Fiji
8/10/11: Punta Docas, Chile
8/27/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
9/15/11: Albatross, Victoria
11/1/11: Praia do Norte, Portugal
12/12/11: Mullaghmore Head, Ireland
1/4/12: Outer Reef, Oahu/ Peahi, Maui
1/5/12: Maverick's, California
1/6/12: Todos Santos, Mexico
1/20/12: Peahi, Maui
1/30/12: Outer Reef, Oahu/ Peahi, Maui
2/8/12: Maverick's, California
3/8/12: Mullaghmore Head, Ireland

BILLABONG XXL BIGGEST WAVE AWARD (locations)

6/8/11: Punta Ure, Chile
8/10/11: Punta Docas, Chile
8/27/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
9/1/11: Puerto Escondido, Mexico
10/17/11: Praia do Norte
10/30/11-11/1/11: Praia do Norte, Portugal
12/15/11: Agiti, Basque Country
12/17/11: Nelscott Reef, Oregon
3/8/12: Mullaghmore Head, Ireland

*numerous dateless*

MONSTER ENERGY PADDLE IN AWARD (locations)

4/22/11: Punta de Lobos, Chile
5/29/11: Punta de Lobos, Chile
5/31/11-6/1/11: Puerto Escondido, Mexico
9/21/11: Nelscott Reef
9/27/11: Sunset, South Africa
10/16/11: West Oz Bombie, Australia
10/30/11: La Vaca, Spain/ Santa Marina Island, Spain
12/8/11: Phantoms, Oahu
1/3/12: Maverick's, California/Punta Galea, Basque Country
1/4/12: Peahi, Maui
1/5/12: Maverick's, California
1/6/12: Todos Santos, Mexico/ Maverick's, California
2/8/12: Maverick's, California
2/16/12: Peahi, Maui

*numerous dateless*

MONSTER ENERGY MONSTER TUBE AWARD (locations)

5/17/11: Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania
5/19/11: Puerto Escondido, Mexico
7/12/11: Cloudbreak, Fiji
7/21/11: Cloudbreak, Fiji
8/27/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
2/8/12: Central Coast, California

*numerous dateless*

VERIZON WIPEOUT AWARD (locations)

4/26/11: The Right, Australia
5/17/11: Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania
7/12/11: Puerto Escondido, Mexico/ Cloudbreak, Fiji
8/27/11: Teahupo'o, Tahiti
10/16/11: The Right, Australia
10/26/11: Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania
1/4/12: Peahi, Maui
1/31/12: Peahi, Maui
2/16/12: Pipeline, Oahu
3/8/12: Mullaghmore Head, Ireland 

RELAX Playlist

How to get to Puerto Angel Uploaded by ErinLeeMay1 on Mar 22, 2012

Uploaded by ErinLeeMay1 on Mar 22, 2012

“New” Mexican Volcano Caused by the Oaxaca Earthquake? Not Likely. By Erik Klemetti Email Author March 23, 2012 | 11:11 am

“New” Mexican Volcano Caused by the Oaxaca Earthquake? Not Likely.

• By Erik Klemetti 
• Email Author 
• March 23, 2012 |  
• 11:11 am |  
• Categories: Eruptions, Science Blogs

This week saw a very strong earthquake in an area of southern Mexico – a M7.4 event centered 25 km from Ometepec. It looks like it was a relatively shallow earthquake (~15 km) that was related to thrusting due to the subduction of the Cocos plate under Mexico. Although this earthquake was larger than we might expect in Mexico, it is in a zone of high earthquake hazard, so the earthquake itself was not surprising – remember, subduction zones and earthquakes go hand in hand. The effects of the earthquake on the area have been significant, with over 1000 building collapsed or damaged, but thankfully few lives were lost.

After the earthquake, there has been a flurry of news in Mexico about a supposed “new volcano” that appeared between Huajintepec and Huixtepec municipality of Ometepec. The details are scant, but the mayor of the district claims the new volcano to be “tiny” (but in other articles, he says the “volcano” has been there “for many years”). As usual, there is a lot of misleading coverage, like this story that shows a picture of an undersea vent at NW Rota 1 in the Marianas Islands (with no caption to say so). There is also a lot of speculation in the Mexican media that the “new volcano” might somehow have caused the earthquake or all the aftershocks being felt in the region.

Now, there are quite a few reasons why it is very unlikely that there is a “new volcano” formed by the Oaxaca earthquake or that the earthquake was somehow caused by this supposed volcano.

First, why this earthquake didn’t cause a “new volcano”: Although volcanoes in subduction zones are common, the location of volcanoes is not arbitrary. This is why we get ranges of volcanoes. The Cascade volcanoes in the U.S. all occur well inland from the actual point where the Juan de Fuca plate subducts under North America (the “trench). If we look at the active volcanoes of Mexico (below), the volcanic arc is almost 300 km from Ometepec, so the likelihood a new volcano would occur there has a very low probability (next to zero) – you have to go a long way from Ometepec to find active volcanoes. Some articles have been comparing this to the emergence of Parícutin in 1943 – a case of an actual “new volcano”, but Parícutin is smack in the middle of the active volcanic belt. To get magma to form, melting of the mantle has to occur and in subduction zones, to do that, you need water to come off the oceanic crust that is being pulled under the overriding plate. The water only comes off at a certain depth (which is related to temperature), so the location of the volcanic arc tends to be hundreds of kilometers from the trench (however, it varies from subduction zone to subduction zones based on the angle of the slab beneath the overriding plate).

The active volcanic arc in Mexico (red triangles). Ometepec, close to the epicenter of the recent M7.4 earthquake is marked - and over 275 km from any active volcano.

Second, why any “new volcano” can’t be the source of the seismicity in Oaxaca: Whenever geoscientists examine earthquakes, we look at how the earth moved along the fault. This produced the famed“beachball” diagrams of the focal mechanism of an earthquake. For earthquakes generated by magma rising under a volcano, we want dilation/extension as the crust moves out of the way to let the magma through. The Oaxaca earthquake had a reverse/thrust motion, meaning that the force was compressional, not dilation. This sort of motion is not consistent with magma movement and is very consistent with thrust faulting due to the subduction zone. The many aftershocks from the earthquake are highly common from any large earthquake, so a “new volcano” is just not necessary to explain the 80+ aftershocks felt so far.

So, all this “news” about a new volcano in Mexico is likely the product of media hysteria after a disaster. The only actual “observations” I’ve seen is claims of “hot water gushing/bubbling” after the Oaxaca earthquake, but hot springs are common along faultlines in many locations around the world. This doesn’t mean that magma near the surface is the source of heat, but hot water will follow faults to reach the surface. A new earthquake might open new pathways for this water. However, with such scant information, it is hard to say that even that is happening near Ometepec. What I can safely say is that a “new volcano” is not very likely at all, both in causing the earthquake or being produced by the earthquake.

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