1538 Earthquake: Mexico City
An earthquake struck Mexico City in 1538.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- 1538
- Place
- Mexico City
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 19.200° N, 99.100° W
- Country
- Mexico
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1537, ruinous in Mexico City. (reference #1195)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 19, 2017, Mexico City, Morelos, Puebla
- October 24, 1980, S, Huajapan DE Leon, Oaxaca, Mexico
- November 19, 1912, Central, Acambay, Tixmadeje, Mexico
- July 6, 1964, Guerrero, Mexico
- June 15, 1999, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Morelos, Guerrero, Mexico
- July 19, 1882, Puebla,huahuapan,huamuxtitlan,xalpatlahuac, Mexico
- December 11, 2011, Guerrero, Mexico
- January 16, 1902, Guerrero, Mexico
- March 17, 1542, Mexico City
- March 10, 1727, Mexico City,oaxaca
- March 8, 1800, Mexico City,oaxaca
- October 18, 1837, Mexico City, Acapulco
- August 25, 1611, Mexico City,jalisco
- October 1, 1889, Morelos, Mexico
- September 19, 1912, Acambay-Tixmadeje, Mexico
More
Significant earthquakes of 1538The 1500sRecent earthquakes near here
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 708.