Mexico Hit by 6.5-Magnitude Earthquake; 2 Killed, 50 Homes Damaged

A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck parts of Mexico, killing at least two people and damaging around 50 homes, according to local authorities. The quake was felt across several communities, prompting evacuations and emergency response efforts. Officials reported structural damage but no immediate risk of a tsunami. Rescue crews continue to assess affected areas as residents brace for possible aftershocks.

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico shortly before 8 a.m. Friday, killing at least two people and damaging dozens of homes near the epicenter, while sending residents of Mexico City rushing into the streets during a holiday weekend.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit near Acapulco, a major Pacific port and beach resort, and was felt as far as 400 kilometers (250 miles) north in the capital. Mexico’s National Seismological Service said the epicenter was located about 14 kilometers southwest of San Marcos, a town in Guerrero state.

In Mexico City, seismic alarms sounded across the capital, prompting evacuations from homes, offices and hotels. A 60-year-old man died after falling while evacuating his second-floor apartment, according to local authorities. Twelve others were injured, Mayor Clara Brugada said on social media, though officials reported no major structural damage in the city.

President Claudia Sheinbaum was forced to evacuate the presidential palace during her regular morning press conference. She later said there were no immediate reports of major damage nationwide, though destruction was evident in communities closer to the epicenter.

In San Marcos, a woman in her 50s was killed when her home collapsed, Guerrero Gov. Evelyn Salgado said. Mayor Misael Lorenzo Castillo reported that about 50 houses were destroyed and that nearly all homes in the town suffered cracks. Residents showed damaged walls and collapsed sections of buildings to reporters.

“San Marcos has been badly affected, devastated,” said resident Rogelio Moreno, standing outside his damaged home.

Witnesses across the region described waking in fear. Karen Gómez, a 47-year-old office worker living on the 13th floor of an apartment building in Mexico City, said she was jolted awake by a siren and a cellphone alert warning of a powerful earthquake. Norma Ortega, a 57-year-old kindergarten director on the 10th floor of her building, said she could feel the structure sway.

In Acapulco, tourists also fled to safety. Ricardo, a visitor from the central state of Morelos, said he ran out of his hotel shirtless after hearing warning sirens.

Mexico is one of the world’s most seismically active countries, sitting atop five tectonic plates. Earthquakes are often strongly felt in Mexico City, which is built on the soft, muddy subsoil of an ancient lakebed that amplifies seismic waves.

The strongest quakes affecting the capital typically originate off the Pacific coast of Guerrero. A magnitude 8.1 earthquake in 1985 devastated large parts of Mexico City, killing nearly 13,000 people, according to official figures. Another quake on Sept. 19, 2017, with a magnitude of 7.1, killed 369 people.

In recent years, Mexico has expanded early warning systems, including smartphone alerts and loudspeakers mounted on lampposts throughout Mexico City, to give residents precious seconds to seek safety before strong shaking begins.

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Source: NDTV‍