MEXICO CITY: A powerful earthquake with a magnitude 7.7 hit Mexico’s southern Oaxaca region on Tuesday, killed at least five people, swayed buildings and caused thousands to evacuate into the streets.
According to U.S. Geologic Survey, the earthquake struck at 10:29 AM local time along Mexico’s southern Pacific coast at a depth of 16 miles with an epicenter 7 miles southwest of Santa María Zapotitlán in Oaxaca state, near El Coyu. The damage in Oaxaca state is measured light to moderate. The earthquake occurred as the result of reverse faulting on or near the plate boundary between the Cocos and North American plates.
Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President, Mexico, said one person was killed and another injured in a building collapse in Huatulco, Oaxaca. Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat later said a second person was killed in an apparent house collapse in the tiny mountain village of San Juan Ozolotepec.
Federal civil defense authorities reported two more deaths: a worker at the state-run oil company, Pemex, fell to his death from a refinery structure, and a man died in the Oaxaca village of San Agustin Amatengo when a wall fell on him.
According to Murat, two hospitals treating corona patients were among those general hospitals in Pochutla, Puerto Escondido and Pinotepa Nacional and a few community hospitals in other areas that were damaged because of the quake. He added that administration is working on implementation of safety protocols to monitor the streets and keep the population protected.
Authorities also reported a power outage throughout the state’s capital and damages to the exterior of a hospital, churches, bridges, and highways in Oaxaca. The quake also caused fire in a refinery of state-run oil company, Pemex which is situated in the Pacific coast city of Salina Cruz, relatively near the epicenter. Helicopters flew over downtown Mexico City and police patrols sounded their sirens to give enough warning to residents to exit buildings.
An hour after the quake, groups of people were found moving around purposely in close proximity on streets and sidewalks in some neighborhoods of the capital and despite previous appeals from municipal officials many were seen not wearing masks, to prevent the spread of virus.
The earthquake could be felt in Guatemala and throughout south and central Mexico.
President Andres said that more than 140 aftershocks were felt in Mexico within 24 hours of the powerful earthquake that rattled southern Mexico.
Tuesday’s quake set off a tsunami warning for a radius of 1,000 km (621 miles) on the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Central America, including Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras.