Powerful 7.1 earthquake hits southern Mexico, shaking buildings in capital

 

People stand at a building which collapsed after a quake rattled Mexico City on September 19, 2017. © Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP

 

Powerful 7.1 earthquake hits southern Mexico, shaking buildings in capital

RT.com
A powerful 7.1 earthquake has struck southern Mexico, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor shook buildings in the country’s capital.

The earthquake was initially reported as being of 7.4 magnitude.

The quake’s epicenter was 8 kilometers southeast of Atencingo in the Mexican state of Puebla at a depth of 51 kilometers, USGS said.

Videos and pictures are being posted online from Mexico City, capturing the tremors and crowds in the streets.

Thousands of people were seen fleeing their shaking houses witnesses told media.

Computer monitors toppled over, pictures fell off walls and other objects were shaking in the Mexican capital, witnesses said, adding that some office workers hid under their desks.

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The quake has caused serious damage in Mexico City, with images of collapsed facades of buildings and streets filled with debris appearing online.

The stock exchange in the Mexican capital announced that it’s suspending trading due to the earthquake.

The Tuesday’s quake hit just hours after many in the country took part in earthquake drills, held on the anniversary of the devastating 1985 quake, which killed more than 5,000 people in Mexico City.

Mexico City is situated on a former lakebed, a location that magnifies the effect of earthquakes even if they are located hundreds of kilometers away.

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