December 27, 1568 Earthquake: Cocula,jalisco, Mexico

December 27, 1568, Cocula and Jalisco destroyed and 60 indians killed. (reference #1195)

Most of the damage is concentrated within a radius of approximately 75 km, centered in Zacoalco. According to Tello (1891), a total of seventeen churches were destroyed by the quake. Although most of the information refers to damage to churches and convents, there are also reports of significant damage to houses in the region. Macroseismic information suggests that this was a local earthquake that probably occurred on one of several geologic faults in the northern part of the so-called Colima graben or the Tepic-Zacoalco graben. The epicentral zone seems to be located just near the town of Zacoalco where the greatest damage and effects occurred. Compared to other Mexican earthquakes reported in the 16th century, this event is surprisingly well documented. The reason for this detailed description is surely its magnitude and the great amount of damage it caused. This earthquake is one of the largest earthquakes ever reported in the Mexican Volcanic Axis. Compared with other important earthquakes of the same type that have occurred in the volcanic arc, such as those of 1546 and 1920 in Jalapa, 1875 also in Jalisco and 1912 in Acambay, Edo. de México, the magnitude of the Jalisco "big quake" is probably greater than 7.0 (Suárez et al., 1994). Due to errors in Tello (1891) there are contradictions in the year in which the earthquake occurred; the most frequently cited date is assigned here. On August 15, 1611 another earthquake is reported in the region that again destroyed the churches of Sayula, Zapotlan and Zapoltitic. This last one seems to be an earthquake of lesser magnitude but in the same fault that generated the earthquake of 1568. (reference #13024)