Seismicity and active faulting associated with the North America–Caribbean plate boundary in Chiapas, Mexico: A review

Abstract

ABSTRACTWe present a summary of information on seismically active faulting in Chiapas, Mexico, related to North America–Caribbean plate-boundary zone deformation. We collected data from published works, and we also present new data collected from reporting agencies. Several active structures were identified as part of the deformation of the plate-boundary zone in the states of Chiapas and Veracruz, including 18 large (up to 175-km-long) strike-slip faults belonging to three tectonic realms: the Tonalá realm, the Depresión Central, and the strike-slip fault province. Available fault-plane solutions indicate left-lateral, strike-slip displacement along these faults. The reverse-fault province is also found to be part of the plate-boundary zone and seismically active, with thrust-faulting fault-plane solutions. Deformation extends to the northwest, along the Veracruz coastal plains region, which is also seismically active.