June 18, 1932 Earthquake: Central, Colima, Mexico
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Central, Colima, Mexico on June 18, 1932 at 10:12:33 UTC, 15 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.
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
- June 18, 1932
- Time
- 10:12:33 UTC
- Place
- Central, Colima, Mexico
- Magnitude
- 7.8 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 15 km (9 mi)
- Intensity
- 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 19.081° N, 103.631° W
- Country
- Mexico
The toll
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 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.
1932, June 18. There was an earthquake of almost the same intensity as that of June 3, affecting practically the same area and causing new destruction, thereby worsening the situation which developed after the first earthquake. Tecoman was completely destroyed, including the main building of the church; the residents left the city. Colima was among the most affected cities. At Guadalajara, several buildings, including the cathedral and the university, suffered serious cracking. The earthquake also generated a tsunami.
(reference #415)
June 18,1932. This earthquake of magnitude Ms7.8 and
epicenter at 19.5 N and 103.5 W, affected the same area as the earthquake of June 3, 1932. Tecoman, Colima, and Guadalajara suffered serious damage. In Guadalajara, the Cathedral and the University were badly damaged. In Manzanillo, small tsunami waves were observed. After the earthquake, the sea level decreased, and then rose about 1 m. Sea waters flooded part of the port. A large part of the rocky coast lost its previous shape, and some of the shoals indicated in nautical charts disappeared. This tsunami was registered in Hilo, Hawaii, with a 0.10 m height. (reference #369)
1932, June 18, 10:12:10 UTC. 19.5 N, 103.5 W, shallow depth, magnitude 7.9 MS. (reference #88)
1932, June 18. 19.84 N, 103.99 W, magnitude 8.2 MS. (reference #1143)
1932, June 18. Jalisco, magnitude 7.9, tsunami.(reference #1002)
1932, June 18 10:12:16.14 UTC. 19.452 N, 103.632 W, depth 54 km, magnitude 7.9 Mw P&S. (reference #9910)
1932, June 18 10:12:11.52 UTC. 19.081 N, 103.631 W, depth 15 km, magnitude 7.8 Mw. (reference #10476)
1932, June 18, 10:12:13.1 UTC. 19.58 N, 103.84 W, magnitude 7.9 (reference #12644)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 19, 1985, Mexico City, Michoacan
- March 25, 1806, Jalisco,oaxaca,michoacan, Mexico
- May 31, 1818, Morelos-Guerrero,mexico City,guadalajara
- June 3, 1932, Near Coast of Jalisco, Mexico
- April 15, 1941, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco, Mexico
- June 22, 1932, Central, Mexico
- December 27, 1568, Cocula,jalisco, Mexico
- October 2, 1847, Jalisco,oaxaca,michoacan, Mexico
- January 30, 1973, S, Farias, Tecoman, Mexico
- October 9, 1995, Jalisco, Manzanillo, San Patricio Melaque, Mexico
- January 22, 2003, Villa DE Alvarez, Colima, Tecoman, Jalisco, Mexico
- February 11, 1875, San Cristobal DE LA Barranca, Mexico
- September 22, 2022, Mexico City, Michoacan
- October 25, 1981, Lazaro Cardenas, Michoacan, Mexico
- September 19, 2022, Michoacan, Colima, Jalisco, Mexico
More
Significant earthquakes of 1932The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1932Recent 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 3496.