Location:

Period:

1 May 2000 14:11:38 - 6 May 2000 09:59:06 (4 days 19 hours 47 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

Prieto, Cerro(38km)

Earthquakes:

11 swarms found nearby.

2001

S20011209.1(4.4km)

8 Dec

3 days 15 hours

57 earthquakes

2002

S20020104.2(28.9km)

4 Jan

5 days 21 hours

156 earthquakes

2010

PS20100405.1(27.6km)

4 Apr

1 hours

5 earthquakes

S20100410.1(13.9km)

9 Apr

1 day 9 hours

29 earthquakes

S20100501.1(13.4km)

1 May

4 days 3 hours

63 earthquakes

S20100508.1(15.0km)

7 May

6 days 19 hours

95 earthquakes

S20100517.1(13.2km)

16 May

23 days 11 hours

365 earthquakes

S20100724.3(20.9km)

24 Jul

9 days 17 hours

117 earthquakes

S20100816.1(21.0km)

15 Aug

5 days 9 hours

45 earthquakes

S20101211.1(25.0km)

11 Dec

2 days 18 hours

50 earthquakes

2012

S20120701.1(24.6km)

1 Jul

3 days 2 hours

77 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm S20000502.1 Near Estación Coahuila, Baja California

Seismic swarm S20000502.1 occurred in northwestern Baja California, Mexico, approximately 8 km west-southwest of Estación Coahuila. The sequence began at 14:11 on 1 May 2000 and concluded at 09:59 on 6 May 2000, spanning 115 hours and 47 minutes. During this interval, 60 earthquakes were recorded, with magnitudes ranging from 1.6 to 4.7 and focal depths predominantly at 5 km.

The swarm exhibited typical characteristics of clustered seismicity without a dominant mainshock-aftershock pattern. The largest event, magnitude 4.7, occurred on 2 May at 06:45:45, accompanied by several events above magnitude 3.0 within the same day. Activity peaked on 2 May before gradually declining through 6 May. Most events clustered at shallow crustal depths of 5–6 km, consistent with brittle failure in the upper crust.

The region lies within the Mexicali Valley, part of the Salton Trough tectonic depression formed by oblique extension along the Pacific–North American plate boundary. This area experiences active transform faulting associated with the southern extension of the San Andreas system, including the Cerro Prieto and Imperial faults. The valley hosts the Cerro Prieto geothermal field, where high heat flow and fluid circulation influence local seismicity. Historical records document recurrent earthquake swarms in this zone, driven by both tectonic strain accumulation and hydrothermal processes.

Seismicity in Baja California remains elevated due to ongoing right-lateral shear and minor extension. Updated regional monitoring by Mexican and U.S. networks confirms continued low-to-moderate activity near the international border, with focal mechanisms typically indicating strike-slip motion. The 2000 swarm aligns with this pattern, reflecting stress release along minor fault segments subsidiary to the main Cerro Prieto fault zone.

Analysis of event timing shows an initial burst on 1–2 May followed by sustained low-level activity. Shallow depths suggest rupture within sedimentary and volcanic layers overlying crystalline basement. No significant surface rupture was associated with this swarm, consistent with its modest energy release.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog
Servicio Sismológico Nacional (Mexico)
Geological Survey of Baja California reports on Mexicali Valley tectonics