A Magnitude-8.1 earthquake was felt on the Pacific coast of Mexico on Thursday evening. Buildings were swaying, as people ran down the streets. The earthquake caused at least five deaths, including two children, CNN reported.
In Mexico City when the earthquake alarm sounded, panicked residents were seen running in the streets in their nighties, buildings were shaking and glasses were breaking. For safety reasons, electricity was cut off from some areas. More than 10 aftershocks ranging from magnitude 4.7 to 5.7 were recorded closer to the Mexican coast, off the town of Paredon.
A total of 62 aftershocks were felt four hours after the initial earthquake.
The powerful earthquake was felt most in the west of Guatemala. In the state capital of Huehuetenango, bricks and glass were strewn on the ground as walls collapsed. Quetzaltenango, Guatemala’s second-largest city, which was beginning to recover from a tremor in June, suffered more damage to its historic center.
Earthquake's epicenter
The epicenter of the powerful quake was in the Pacific, about 87km (54 miles) south-west of the town of Pijijiapan and at a depth of 70km, the US Geological Survey said. The quake was felt in the capital, Mexico City, more than 450 miles from the epicenter. The U.S. Geological Survey initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 8.1 The Mexican Seismological Agency rated it at magnitude 8.4.
Tsunami alerts!
Mexico's Pacific coastal areas, as well as the areas near Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, are now on alert for the possible tsunami waves. The National Weather Service Tsunami Warning Center said that based on the available data, hazardous tsunami waves are forecasted for some coasts. More than three-meter tsunami waves above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Mexico but no tsunami waves are expected for California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, British Columbia or Alaska according to Pacific Tsunami Warnings Center.
The government warned that waves of up to 10 feet could hit other parts of Mexico.
Mexican President, Enrique Peña Nieto, communicated in a post on his Twitter account about the disaster prevention in the affected areas. Schools are now closed in Mexico City and Chiapas state. Authorities are assessing the damaged caused by the powerful earthquake and urged the people to stay alert at all times for possible aftershocks and tsunamis.
