The images on the social networks of the flashes of light which occurred during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake recorded in Acapulco, Mexico, Have attracted so much attention that various media, experts and specialized agencies have offered an explanation.
The National Meteorological Office (Onamet), a specialized technical body in the Dominican Republic, has explained that according to some researchers these light flashes they occur because landslides near the Earth’s geological faults generate certain electrical charges by friction.
Weather analyst Jean Suriel indicated that the phenomenon is known as “triboluminescence” or earthquake lights.
?? Last night a strange phenomenon took place in Mexico, during the magnitude 7.0 earthquake recorded in Acapulco, south of that country: lights in the sky as the earthquake passed.
?? The phenomenon is known as “triboluminescence” or earthquake lights.
Carry on ?? pic.twitter.com/x7NGLptcnn
– Jean Suriel (@JeanSuriel) September 8, 2021
“Earth’s crustal stones like basalt and gravel have small imperfections in their crystals and when the seismic wave hits the tectonic layers this friction emits electrical charges that produce these lights in the sky,” Suriel explained through of their social networks.
Some thought it was a short circuit of electrical substations because during earthquakes the poles of the power line that have generators get stuck during the movement and cause an explosion, according to a user in the Onamet.
About the earthquake
Last night Tuesday 7 September produced a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. So far only one person has been reported dead. It did not cause much damage.