This September marks an important milestone: the Mexican National Seismological Service (Servicio Sismológico Nacional, SSN) celebrates its 115th anniversary. Since 1910, the SSN has been responsible for monitoring seismic activity across Mexico, a country that experiences thousands of earthquakes every year.
As part of the upcoming National Earthquake Drill on 19 September 2025, the SSN will collaborate for the first time with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the European projects ChEESE and DT-GEO to test urgent computing workflows and high-resolution earthquake simulations. This initiative coincides with the 40th anniversary of the devastating 1985 Michoacán earthquake, giving the exercise both scientific and symbolic importance.
We spoke with Arturo Iglesias, Director of the SSN, about the role of the service, the significance of drills, and the value of international collaboration.
What is the role of the Mexican National Seismological Service and how do you participate in the National Earthquake Drill?
The SSN has been the official institution providing seismic information in Mexico since 1910. Today it is hosted by UNAM, within the Institute of Geophysics, and all staff are academics of the university. During the national drill, we simulate the occurrence of an earthquake and issue the information to the authorities and the population, just as we would in a real event. This essentially triggers the exercise. The early warning system, although independent from us, also participates by activating the alarms.
Why are earthquake drills important for Mexico?
Drills are essential to preserve collective memory. New generations who did not experience the 1985 or 2017 earthquakes need to learn how to react. Studies show that children and young people in Mexico have developed a culture of prevention thanks to drills and the seismic alert.
Of course, there are criticisms. Some argue that drills are stressful or costly. For instance, helicopters are deployed in Mexico City during drills just like in real events, which requires resources. And evacuating large buildings takes time, multiplied by millions of people, it is a lot of man-hours. Still, the benefits in terms of preparedness far outweigh the disadvantages.
And what about education?
Education is fundamental. If anything we do as seismologists saves lives, it is education. Japan has always been the model: even very young children know how to protect themselves during an earthquake. That kind of training makes the difference.
Inside the facilities of the National Seismological Service at UNAM. Photo: Cuartoscuro / ArchiveAre drills changing with new technology?
Traditionally, drills in Mexico focused on evacuation. But with early warning systems, there isn’t always enough time to leave tall buildings. The recommendation now is to shelter during the shaking and evacuate afterwards.
The novelty this year is that, together with BSC, ChEESE and DT-GEO, we will include computational simulations of earthquakes. This is the first time we attempt such an exercise. If validated, these simulations could one day become an operational tool for decision-making in real emergencies.
How do you see the value of international collaboration?
Collaboration is always positive, as long as it is truly bidirectional. Otherwise, it becomes assistance, which is important after disasters, but less relevant scientifically. Mexico, with earthquakes practically every day, is a natural laboratory for seismology. This makes collaborations with international groups very valuable.
What expectations do you have for the collaboration with ChEESE and DT-GEO?
We have high expectations. Similar projects have been successful in other countries, such as Türkiye, and we hope to achieve the same here. This year’s drill will be a great opportunity to test how well integrated these tools can be. Ultimately, the real test will come with an actual earthquake, when we can validate the simulations against observations.
Finally, this year the SSN celebrates its 115th anniversary. What does this milestone mean to you?
It is a very special moment for us. The 5th of September was our official anniversary, and this year marks 115 years since the SSN began operations. It is a time to reflect on our history, our progress, and what we have achieved in recent years. While 19 September is a day of remembrance, 5 September is a day of celebration. We want these efforts to be known not only by the scientific community but also by society at large.
An international collaboration
The collaboration between the SSN, BSC and the European projects ChEESE and DT-GEO is pioneering: for the first time, supercomputing simulations will support a national earthquake drill in Mexico. By combining expertise across continents, this exercise represents a step forward in disaster preparedness and in strengthening resilience against future earthquakes.
As Arturo Iglesias reminds us: “Mexico is a country where earthquakes happen practically every day. It is a natural laboratory, and that makes collaborations like this especially relevant.”
By Varvara Vedia
From the ChEESE-2P Dissemination Team
