A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck the Pacific coast of Mexico on Friday, sending tremors through the capital and a major tourist hub, resulting in at least two fatalities and causing significant damage in a town near its epicenter.
Quake Details and Immediate Impact
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the seismic event occurred shortly before 8:00 AM local time. Its epicenter was located near the popular beach resort and port city of Acapulco. The quake was felt powerfully as far as 400 kilometers (250 miles) away in Mexico City, where early warning alarms prompted a mass evacuation of buildings onto the streets, disrupting a holiday weekend.
In the capital, the tremors proved fatal for a 60-year-old man who lost his life after falling while trying to evacuate his second-floor apartment, according to local authorities. City Mayor Clara Brugada stated on social media that twelve other people were injured in Mexico City, but thankfully, no major structural damage was reported in the metropolis.
The shaking was so intense that even President Claudia Sheinbaum was forced to evacuate the National Palace during her regular morning press conference. Mexico's National Seismological Service pinpointed the epicenter 14 kilometers southwest of the town of San Marcos in Guerrero state.
Localized Devastation in San Marcos
While President Sheinbaum initially reported no major damage, the town of San Marcos bore the brunt of the quake's force. Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed that a woman in her fifties died when her house collapsed on her. San Marcos Mayor Misael Lorenzo Castillo provided a grim assessment, estimating that around 50 houses were destroyed and virtually every home in the area sustained cracks.
Residents showed visible evidence of the destruction to journalists, pointing out large cracks in walls and sections where structures had completely fallen. "San Marcos has been badly affected, devastated," lamented resident Rogelio Moreno, standing in front of his damaged home, capturing the community's distress.
A Nation on Seismic Alert
Mexico's location, situated between five major tectonic plates, makes it one of the most seismically active countries in the world. The quake triggered terror among residents, especially in high-rise buildings in Mexico City. Karen Gomez, a 47-year-old office worker living on the 13th floor, told AFP she was jolted awake by street sirens. "I woke up in terror. My cellphone alert said it was a powerful earthquake," she recounted.
The event brought back painful memories of past disasters. Mexico City, built on the soft bed of a former lake, is particularly vulnerable. The country remembers the catastrophic 8.1 magnitude quake on September 19, 1985, which killed nearly 13,000 people, and another 7.1 magnitude tremor on the same date in 2017 that claimed 369 lives.
Since then, Mexico has invested heavily in early warning systems. These include smartphone applications and a network of loudspeakers mounted on lampposts across Mexico City designed to give citizens crucial seconds to seek safety before strong tremors arrive, a system that was activated during this latest quake.
