Most of Central America rests atop the Caribbean Plate . This tectonic plate converges with the Cocos , Nazca , and North American plates to form the Middle America Trench , a major subduction zone . The Middle America Trench is situated some off the Pacific coast of Central America and runs roughly parallel to it . Many large earthquakes have occurred as a result of seismic activity at the Middle America Trench . For example , subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate at the Middle America Trench is believed to have caused the 1985 Mexico City earthquake that killed as many as 40,000 people . Seismic activity at the Middle America Trench is also responsible for earthquakes in 1902 , 1942 , 1956 , 1982 , 1992 , 2001 , 2007 , 2012 , 2014 , and many other earthquakes throughout Central America
1985 Mexico City earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
Central America