February 13, 1620 Earthquake: Oaxaca, Mexico
An earthquake struck Oaxaca, Mexico on February 13, 1620.
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
- February 13, 1620
- Place
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 17.000° N, 96.300° W
- Country
- Mexico
The toll
- Damage
- Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100)
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.
1619 Jan 13 Oaxaca (reference #1002)
1619 Feb 13 Mexico, Oaxaca and throughout most of the country. (reference #1055)
1619 Feb 13 destructive in Oaxaca, extended more than 500 leagues from S to N, embracing the whole country.. (reference #1195)
1620 Feb 13 listed in references #13024 and #13234.
Reference #13024 notes the earthquake is described as a large earthquake that was felt over an area of more than 1000 km in length. Damage is mentioned in Acapulco and other sites on the Costa Chica. It should be noted that the description of damage in Acapulco is identical to that cited for the earthquake of October 7, 1616. It is probably a major subduction earthquake but there is no data to identify the epicentral zone.
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- August 28, 1973, Veracruz, Mexico City
- September 30, 1999, Oaxaca, Mexico
- July 26, 1937, Esperanza, Veracruz, Central, Puebla, Mexico
- May 11, 1870, Oaxaca,zanaguia,san Francisco Ozolotepec, Mexico
- June 15, 1999, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Morelos, Guerrero, Mexico
- August 2, 1968, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Mexico
- February 16, 2018, Oaxaca, Mexico
- June 23, 2020, Oaxaca, Mexico
- November 29, 1978, Oaxaca, Mexico
- October 5, 1801, Oaxaca, Mexico
- August 23, 1965, Mexico City, Oaxaca
- September 23, 2017, Oaxaca, Mexico
- June 17, 1928, Oaxaca, Mexico
- May 5, 1854, Veracruz,oaxaca, Mexico
- July 29, 2014, Oaxaca, Mexico
More
Significant earthquakes of 1620The 1600sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
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 884.