Major quake hits southern Mexico, at least 2 killed
Last updated on: 24 June,2020 06:58 am
A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck southern Mexico's Pacific coast on Tuesday.
MEXICO CITY (AFP) - A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.4 struck southern Mexico s Pacific coast on Tuesday (Jun 23), killing at least two people, buckling paved roads, and cutting off isolated villages.
The fatalities were near the quake s epicentre in Oaxaca, a mountainous state known for its coffee, mescal and Spanish colonial architecture.
Rockfalls blocked the winding mountain roads between the state capital of Oaxaca City and the coast. A clinic and other buildings in hill villages near the epicentre were severely damaged, images on social media showed.
Buildings hundreds of miles away in Mexico City shook strongly and people ran out into the streets when an early warning seismic alarm sounded. Videos on social media showed water that apparently came from rooftop pools cascading down residential buildings.
The quake also triggered a small tsunami in the Oaxaca region. The country s seismological service said the sea level rose 60cm at Huatulco beach, normally a popular destination for US and Canadian tourists but quieter now due to the coronavirus pandemic.