After forward striker Hirving Lozano scored Mexico’s pivotal goal against defending World Cup champions Germany last Sunday, fans in Mexico City caused such an uproar that their celebrations were recorded on a seismic level. According to the Institute for Geological and Atmospherical investigations, via Yahoo Sports, their monitoring systems detected a seismic current running at 37m/s2 occurring immediately after the goal, speculating that the celebratory “massive jumping” that ensued may have caused the seismic activity.
El #sismo detectado en la Ciudad de México se originó de manera artificial. Posiblemente por saltos masivos durante el Gol de la selección de #México en el mundial. Por lo menos dos sensores dentro de la Ciudad lo detectaron a las 11:32. pic.twitter.com/mACKesab3b
— IIGEA A.C. (@IIGEAac) June 17, 2018
This seismic activity, however, was not large enough to be measured in magnitudes and as such could not officially be classified as an earthquake. The Institute claims only very sensitive seismographic equipment was capable of perceiving the activity. Therefore, the general population in Mexico would not have felt the seismic event.
The Institutes also notes a similar event occurred a few years ago when a touchdown run by Marshawn Lynch during the 2011 NFL Playoffs incited such a rumpus in the stadium that a local seismometer recorded a seismic event equivalent to a magnitude 1 earthquake. The event would later famously be referred to as the “Beast Quake.”
While the incident in Mexico City was not officially an earthquake, there is no denying the sheer euphoria Mexico felt after pulling one of the first major upsets in the 2018 World Cup, thereby placing them in a very secure position to advance to the Round-of-16 stage. If, however, Mexico manages to indeed break its Round-of-16 curse, then more than just sensitive equipment will be able to feel the country’s rapture.
Image: Steve Evans
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