A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake has struck the Mexican city of Acapulco late Tuesday, leaving at least one person dead and causing damage and power outages, local media and witnesses say.
Shaking was felt as far away as Mexico City but there were no immediate reports of serious injuries.
The earthquake, which struck at 8:47 p.m. local time on Tuesday, was centered just north of Acapulco, a city and major seaport on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The epicenter is about 240 kilometers (150 miles) south of Mexico City.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor measured 7.0 and struck about 12 kilometers (7.5 mi) below the surface, making it a very shallow earthquake. Mexico’s seismological agency, however, put the magnitude slightly higher, at 7.1.
Shaking was also felt in Mexico City, where some people fled their homes as buildings swayed.
A man was killed when a utility pole fell on him in the nearby city of Coyuca de Benitez, Guerrero state governor Hector Astudillo told Milenio TV. But, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a video message that there were no immediate reports of casualties.
“The epicenter was registered in Acapulco, Guerrero. Fortunately, there is no damage in that state, no major damage,” he said.
Utility poles and other debris fell on a number of vehicles in Acapulco and the facade of a church collapsed, according to an AFP correspondent.
As of the 10 PM local time, at least 73 aftershocks of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake registered with an epicenter in Acapulco, Guerrero, tv Azteca reported.
Guerrero Governor Héctor Astudillo Flores said there were no immediate reports of major damage, according to local media.
But, footage from Acapulco showed a few buildings which had partially collapsed. The damage, however, appeared to be limited.
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
