EARTHQUAKE
coast in the state of Veracruz late Friday or early Saturday as a Category 2 storm that could bring life-threatening floods.
One of the worst-hit towns by the earthquake appeared to be Juchitan, with about 30 people reported dead, according to the Mexican daily El Universal. Residents put out pleas on social media for help recovering people from the wreckage.
President Enrique Pena Nieto toured the area, where he met with residents amid the debris of crumbled buildings.
“The priority in Juchitan is re-establishing supply of water and food, as well as medical attention for those affected,” Pena Nieto said via Twitter.
The earthquake was centered more than 600 miles from Mexico City in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Tapachula. The quake was strong enough to cause buildings to sway violently. As beds banged against walls, people still wearing pajamas ran out of their homes and gathered in frightened groups.
Mexican authorities closed schools Friday in Mexico City and 11 states in the central and southern part of the country so they could check for damage to infrastructure.
The U.S. Geological Survey counted at least 20 aftershocks greater than magnitude 4.0.
The main quake was centered 43 miles underground, more than twice as deep as the one in 1985, and experts said that dampened its impact.
After the shaking stopped, Mexico City and other large cities emerged mostly unscathed. Pena Nieto said more than 1 million people lost power, but electricity was soon restored for most of them.
Since the 1985 quake, which destroyed or damaged an estimated 5,000 buildings in Mexico City, residents here remain wary of any temblors. The devastation left a profound impact on city activists and politics, ushering in demands for more-rigorous building standards. Authorities conduct anniversary drills to teach residents how to react.
In 1985, there was one earthquake sensor in Mexico; today there are about 100 solar-powered sensors throughout the country.