Audio Postcard: The 1985 Earthquake

Having missed out on the last earthquake during the Swine Flu, my first reaction was to get excited when my chair began to sway in the swanky Starbucks in Condesa on Friday. The thrill quickly turned to worry when my friends and I locked eyes, grasping the table with our hands, and heard the Mexican girls next to us repeat to each other, "No mames, No mames," (You've gotta be f***ing kidding me). It was a long shake, maybe 20 seconds, and still going when the security guard ran over and asked us to go outside. There we joined a group of people waiting and smoking in the shade.

Here's a picture I took once we came back inside, since by that point we were more worried about our laptops being stolen than the roof falling in.

The next day, I went to my friend Santiago's apartment in Tacubaya and asked him for his "Earthquake CD." He had shown me this gem a few months ago—a compilation of audio clips, one for every year in Mexico in the 20th century. This is essentially the audio postcard lover's dream. Below you can hear one of the most intense tracks, in which a newscaster greets Mexico City on the morning of September 19, 1985, the day of the catastrophic earthquake that killed 10,000.

Phrases to listen for:

Está temblando poquitito - It's shaking just a little.

¡Ay, chihuahua! - Oh my goodness!