As earthquakes and tsunamis ravage California and Japan, New Mexicans may be asking: What is our biggest disaster threat and just how likely is it to happen?
Here's a look at disasters and extreme weather in New Mexico over the years.
8 natural disasters that could happen in New Mexico
A New Mexico earthquake goes unnoticed by locals in 1989.Source: Newspapers.com
Eighty percent of plague cases are bubonic and ⅔ of the country's cases have been found in New Mexico.Source: Newspapers.com
New Mexico drought persists despite intense storms in 2013.Source: Newspapers.com
High winds destroy trees, down power lines and tip vehicles.Source: Newspapers.com
A map shows wildfires and prescribed fires from 2014-2021, including the Midnight Fire in 2022.Source: Newspapers.com
Deborah Wozniak looks at a bee hive in a fallen tree on Orchard and 13th NW on July 27, 2013, in Albuquerque. A storm with high winds tore through Albuquerque, uprooting and knocking down large trees.Marla Brose
The Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire burned more than 340,000 acres in northern New Mexico in 2022.Journal photo
Dormant volcanoes in west Albuquerque.Courtesy of Roman Gurule
