With a shallow focus of 15 to 20 km, the earthquake caused strong shaking over a large area along the Oaxaca–Guerrero border and the adjacent Pacific coastline.
Hypocenter | hypocenter |
The earthquake's shallow focus, close proximity to the port city of Agadir, and unsatisfactory construction methods were all reasons declared by earthquake engineers and seismologists as to why it was so destructive.
The quake's hypocenter was located at a depth of 5 km near the town of Los Amates in the department of Izabal.