Environment
Parks and Bicycles Were Lifelines After Mexico City's Earthquake
Open spaces and nimble rides were crucial as volunteers collected and dispersed supplies amid toppled infrastructure.
Seconds after a powerful earthquake struck Mexico City on September 19, the mobile phone network was down. Stoplights ceased to function as electricity failed, and the city’s streets had turned into one vast traffic jam. In a few frantic minutes, millions of people were driven out of buildings into the public space, incommunicado except for the wi-fi network.
In the aftermath, the quality of the city’s public infrastructure became of supreme importance for its citizens—and in some cases, even a matter of life and death.