**2.1 Local tsunami risk**

According to [15, 22] at the west of the "Rivera plate" and along the "Middle America trench," the "Cocos plate" subduction beneath the "North American plate" at rates of 2.5 to 7.7 cm/year (**Figure 2**). Given the fact, that large earthquakes occur in this region; therefore, the zone has been regarded as a generator of tsunamis (**Table 1** and **Figure 3**).

According to historical data, the generated tsunamis that produced the highest wave heights were those that occurred in 1925 (7–11 m), 1932 (9–10 m), 1995 (2.9–5.10 m), 1985 (1–3 m). For example, the 1985 earthquake of M8.0 of magnitude generated a tsunami that affected several communities in this zone. It is believed that a key infrastructure port was affected with waves of 2.5 m and flooded the area about 500 m inland [15]. Also, several tourist resorts were affected by the tsunami; for example, waves for up to 2.5 m high were observed in Playa Azul [15].

Interestingly, a day after the main earthquake, a M7.5 aftershock hit the zone; it is thought the generated tsunami affected a local fishing community with waves ranging from 2 to 3 m high [15].

**195**

**Figure 2.**

*The Risk of Tsunamis in Mexico*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.94201*

*Mexico's local & remote tsunami threat [15, 22].*

**Year Region Magnitude Tsunami (places hit, Mexico) Max. height** 

Pochutla

San Pedrito

Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Playa Azul Acapulco Manzanillo

Zihuatanejo

1732 Guerrero — Acapulco 4.0 1754 Guerrero — Acapulco 5.0 1787 Guerrero >8.0 Acapulco 3–8

 Guerrero 7.6 Acapulco 4.0 B. C. — Río Colorado 3.0 Guerrero 7.6 Acapulco 2.0 Guerrero 7.0 Zihuatanejo 7.0–11.0

 Jalisco 7.8 Manzanillo 1.0 Jalisco 6.9 Cuyutlán 9.0–10.0 Nayarit 6.9 Islas Marias 2.0–5.0 Guerrero 7.8 Acapulco 2.6 Colima 7.6 Manzanillo 1.1 Oaxaca 7.6 Puerto Escondido 1.5 Guerrero Acapulco 1.3

1787 Oaxaca — Juquila

1932 Jalisco 8.2 Manzanillo

1985 Michoacán 8.1 Lázaro Cardenas

1985 Michoacan 7.8 Acapulco

**waves (m)**

4.0 4.0

2.0 3.0

2.5 3.0 2.5 1.1 1.0

1.2 2.5

**Figure 1.** *The "Ring of fire" [23].*
