Strong 6.4-magnitude quake strikes southern Mexico

Tuxtla Gutiérrez (Mexico), Dec 18: A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake rattled southern Mexico, prompting people to evacuate buildings and schools, while the quake was also felt in neighboring Guatemala.

The 97-kilometer-deep quake struck yesterday at 13:49 pm (local time) in the state of Chiapas, some 11 kilometers east of the coastal town of Tres Picos, according to the US Geological Survey. Mexico's civil protection coordinator, Luis Felipe Puente, said state and municipal officials did not report any damage "for the moment."

The quake was strongly felt in Chiapas, as buildings and schools were emptied in the state capital, Tuxtla Gutierrez. Puente said on Twitter the earthquake was also felt "moderately" in neighboring Oaxaca state and "strongly" in Tabasco.

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said it was "lightly felt" in the mega-capital of 21 million people but no immediate damage was reported. The state-run oil firm Pemex said it was operating "normally" in the states of Chiapas, Campeche and Tabasco, but it evacuated its administrative buildings in Tabasco's capital, Villahermosa, as a precaution.

USGS initially measured the quake at a magnitude of 6.6. It also revised its depth and distance from Tres Picos.

AFP