Powerful earthquake kills Mexico

An earthquake with a magnitude of at least 7.4 struck Tuesday, June 23, southern Mexico, on the Pacific coast, killing at least four people, according to a report quoted by the agency Reuters. AFP meanwhile said at least two dead and wounded, as well as property damage.

According to the USGS, the epicenter of the earthquake was some 70 km northeast of the city of Pochutla, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

The earthquake was felt several hundred kilometers from its epicenter, as far as the capital, Mexico City, where two people were injured, according to the town hall. When the sirens started to howl, hundreds of people took to the streets of Mexico City, some with masks on their faces, others exposed and not respecting the health guidelines in effect during the coronavirus crisis. The Ministry of Public Security said that an overview of the city had shown no collapse of buildings.

Trees sway and Mexicans gather in a Mexico City street in a response to an earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale that rocked southern Mexico today #AFP pic.twitter.com / ekiecFdsMM

"No significant damage"

"Fortunately, we have no significant damage," said Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, while calling for caution in the event of aftershocks, in a video posted on social networks. "There were landslides, broken glass, awnings fell, barriers too, but nothing serious. The strategic installations did not suffer any damage, in other words the ports, the airports, the refineries, hydroelectric power stations. Everything is in good condition, "he said.

Mensaje al pueblo de México. pic.twitter.com/baBtlTl8UD

NOAA, the United States' ocean and atmospheric administration, had launched a tsunami alert for Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The federal agency announced three hours later that it had been lifted.

On the beach of Huatulco, in the state of Oaxaca, the sea level rose only about 60 cm. The Mexican Civil Protection had indicated that it expected the level to rise 113 cm above normal and had called on the inhabitants to leave the areas located on the shore.

Mexico is located at the intersection of three tectonic plates. In 2017, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck central Mexico, killing 355 people in the capital and surrounding areas.

With Reuters and AFP

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