Mexico Earthquake

Magnitude-7.2 earthquake shakes Mexican capital

ACAPULCO, Mexico — A powerful magnitude-7.2 earthquake shook central and southern Mexico on Friday, sending panicked people into the streets. Some walls cracked and fell, but there were no reports of major damage or casualties.

The magnitude-7.2 quake was registered at a depth of 24km (15 miles),according to the US Geological Survey.

Its epicentre was in the western state of Guerrero, near the seaside resort of Acapulco

There are no reports of casualties or significant damage, but frightened residents across the Mexican capital fled their homes as the tremor began.

The earthquake was felt in several southern and western Mexican states at 09:27 local time (14:27 GMT).

Windows were broken and trees fell in Chilpancingo, capital of Guerrero.

In Acapulco, where many tourists were enjoying the Easter holiday, there were scenes of panic.

"People were turning over chairs in their desperation to get out, grabbing children, trampling people,'' 59-year-old Enedina Ramirez Perez told the AP news agency.

Like many tourists, she was having breakfast when the quake struck.

Mexico lies on top of three continental plates and is regularly shaken by tremors.

In 1985, at least 10,000 people were killed in Mexico City by a magnitude-8.1 earthquake.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake at about 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT; 1430 GMT) was centered on a long-dormant fault line northwest of the Pacific resort of Acapulco, where many Mexicans are vacationing for the Easter holiday.

It was felt across at least a half-dozen states and Mexico’s capital, where it collapsed several walls and left large cracks in some facades. Debris covered sidewalks around the city.

Around the region, there were reports of isolated and minor damage, such as fallen fences, trees and broken windows. Chilpancingo, capital of the southern state of Guerrero, where the quake was centered, reported a power outage, but service was restored after 15 minutes.

In Acapulco, 59-year-old Enedina Ramirez Perez was having breakfast, enjoying the holiday with about 20 family members, when her hotel started to shake.

“People were turning over chairs in their desperation to get out, grabbing children, trampling people,” the Mexico City woman said. “The hotel security was excellent and started calming people down. They got everyone to leave quietly.”

The quake struck 170 miles (273 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City, where people fled high-rises and took to the streets, many in still in their bathrobes and pajamas on their day off.

“I started to hear the walls creak and I said, ‘Let’s go,’” said Rodolfo Duarte, 32, who fled his third-floor apartment.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said there were small power outages from fallen transformers but officials were working to restore the service.