Two people were killed after a strong earthquake of 6.5 magnitude struck Mexico’s capital and a tourist hotspot on the Pacific coast on Friday.
According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck around 8 am near Acapulco, a major port and beach resort. It was felt around 400 kilometres (250 miles) away to the north in Mexico City.
Mexico’s National Seismological Service said the epicentre was 14 kilometres southwest of the town of San Marcos in the state of Guerrero.
AFP quoted local authorities stating that a 60-year-old man died after falling while evacuating his second-floor apartment in the capital.
A woman in her fifties “lost her life when her house collapsed on top of her," Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said.
AFP reported that President Claudia Sheinbaum was forced to evacuate the presidential palace during her regular morning press conference. She said there were no immediate reports of major damage, but in San Marcos, the effects were visible.
In a post on social media, city Mayor Clara Brugada said 12 people were injured but there were no reports of major damage in the country’s largest city.
San Marcos Mayor Misael Lorenzo Castillo said around 50 houses were destroyed and “all the houses have cracks".
According to AFP, Mexico is situated between five tectonic plates and as such is one of the world’s most seismically active countries.
