Earthquakes in Colima: Subduction and an Active Volcano

Yes. Colima is one of Mexico's highest earthquake-risk regions, rated high hazard. It sits above the subduction zone where the Rivera and Cocos plates dive beneath the North American plate off the Pacific coast. Adding to this is the activity of the Colima Volcano (Volcán de Fuego), one of the country's most active, making the region a critical point for both tectonic earthquakes and volcanic micro-tremors.

The most memorable earthquake is the one of 21 January 2003, magnitude 7.6, centred off the Colima coast, which killed around twenty people and caused severe damage in Colima city and nearby towns. The region also suffered the great Jalisco-Colima earthquake of 1932 (magnitude near 8.2), one of the largest ever recorded in Mexico, which generated a Pacific tsunami. Subduction earthquakes in this zone can reach very high magnitudes and have relatively short return periods.

The combination of active subduction, the Rivera plate corner and volcanism places Colima among the country's highest-seismicity zones according to Mexico's National Seismological Service. Buildings must meet strict earthquake codes, and residents live with frequent drills and emergency protocols for both earthquakes and volcanic activity.