Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Strikes Southern and Central Mexico
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck southern and central Mexico, with its epicenter near Acapulco, close to San Marcos in Guerrero. The quake resulted in two fatalities: a 50-year-old woman in Guerrero and a 60-year-old man in Mexico City. Additionally, 12 people were reported injured.
Following the earthquake, structural damage assessments are underway, with two buildings being evaluated for potential collapse and inspections conducted on 34 buildings and five homes. Aftershocks were felt in the aftermath of the main quake.
Residents and tourists in Mexico City and Acapulco evacuated after the country's Seismic Alert System was activated. Officials urged calm during the evacuation, and emergency preparedness guidance from the Life Backpack was cited. The alert system, established after the deadly 1985 earthquake, sounded during a press conference when President Claudia Sheinbaum was present; she urged people to exit calmly as the alert sounded.
Mexico is known to be highly seismically active, with a recent reminder of the danger being the 2017 magnitude 7.1 earthquake which killed more than 200 people in Mexico City.
