On September 19, 1985, a magnitude 8.1 earthquake struck Mexico City, causing widespread devastation. The quake flattened thousands of buildings, including schools, hospitals, and residential areas. Over 10,000 people were killed, and many more were injured or left homeless. Rescue efforts were hampered by the scale of the destruction, but many survivors were pulled from the rubble. The event led to improvements in Mexicos seismic preparedness and disaster response strategies.