Ben van der Pluijm is an earthquake geologist and professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. 

"Today, another unusual and large earthquake happened in Mexico, much closer to Mexico City, similar depth but somewhat smaller than the recent 8.1 earthquake in Southern Mexico.  As the former, the quake's behavior is similar (normal faulting), but it is not an aftershock.  Also, it is not on a plate boundary, but reflects pull apart of the central region that is also volcanically active.

2017's large earthquake stats are catching up;  7.1 is equivalent to 650,000 tons of TNT or 45 Hiroshima-style fission bombs.

Contact: text 734-678-1397, [email protected]