Warning in Mexico for a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1: one dead

An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 rocked Mexico City and surrounding areas on Tuesday evening, with a death toll, several areas without electricity and damage to some structures and buildings, authorities said.

The quake had its epicenter 11 km southeast of Acapulco in southeastern Mexico, according to the National Seismological Survey, while federal authorities have so far reported no casualties.

At first, the national seismological report had a magnitude of 6.9, but later this data was corrected.

The governor of Guerrero, Héctor Astudillo, has confirmed the death of a person in Coyuca de Benítez. “They confirm that a pole fell due to the earthquake, he fell on him and he died,” reported the governor.

“So far no serious damage has been reported,” Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on Twitter.

“We have some power cuts, but without relevant news, the metro and Metrobús continue to operate,” Omar García, head of the Citizen Security Secretary, told Milenio TV.

The governor of Guerrero, Héctor Astudillo, told reporters that in the port of Acapulco there were no injuries or damage.

The earthquake was also perceived moderately in parts of the state of Puebla and with intensity in others of the state of Mexico.

The Seismological Service of Mexico reported that the seismic alerts for Mexico City were activated after the preliminary magnitude movement 6.9 degrees southeast of Acapulco, Guerrero. A few minutes later, the body adjusted to 7.1 degrees.

So far there is a report that the movement has been seen in Michoacán, Morelos, Oaxaca and Veracruz. After the earthquake, several neighborhoods of the mayors of Mexico City experienced blackouts.

Adela Román Ocampo, mayor of Acapulco, said the earthquake was “very strong”. “This event worries us, there is no major damage other than power cuts and gas leaks,” he added.

The earthquake caused a nervous breakdown in central Mexico City, whose residents still have tragic memories of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake recorded on September 19, 2017, which shook the center of the country and left 369 people dead mostly in the region. capital city.

Tourists staying in hotels on Reforma Avenue, one of the capital’s main avenues, have also evacuated their rooms in terror, according to TV footage.

Mexico City was devastated by earthquakes in September 1985 that killed more than 10,000 people.

For his part, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador indicated that the event took place in the state of Guerrero. “Fortunately, there is no major damage, fallen stones, as in Morelos, there is no damage in Puebla, there is no serious damage in Mexico,” said the president.

“We have no information on the loss of human life,” added the Mexican president.

The tension was felt in hotel areas, where the earthquake caused many people to stay outside while awaiting instructions. There are many nervous breakdowns and hotels apply their internal civil protection protocols.

Apparently there was a 5.2 magnitude aftershock in Guerrero and the tsunami warning in Guerrero was canceled.

“The seismic alarm system worked and gave us 50 seconds to evacuate. Here the protocols are respected and everyone left immediately. Aftershocks are normal in this seismic territory,” commented one of the witnesses.

After the 7.1 magnitude earthquake, several people were trapped in the Iztapalapa cable car due to a power failure. As reported, users were suspended starting at 8:47 p.m. and around 73 minutes later service was normalized, according to what was clarified by the head of government in the capital, Claudia Sheinbaum.

DS