Mexico: Powerful earthquake topples buildings, killing over 200
A strong earthquake has struck
central Mexico, killing at least 226 people and toppling dozens of
buildings in the capital, Mexico City.
President Enrique Peña Nieto said more than 20 children had died and 30 were missing after a school collapsed.
The 7.1 magnitude quake also caused major damage in neighbouring states.
The
tremor struck while many people took part in an earthquake drill
exactly 32 years after a quake killed thousands in Mexico City.
The country is prone to earthquakes and earlier this month an 8.1 magnitude tremor in the south left at least 90 dead.
The
epicentre of the latest quake was near Atencingo in Puebla state, about
120km (75 miles) from Mexico City, with a depth of 51km, the US
Geological Survey said.
The death toll of 226 was confirmed on Twitter
by the country's national co-ordinator for civil protection. It
includes at least 55 people killed in Morelos state, south of the
capital, and 39 reported killed in Puebla state. One hundred and
seventeen are also confirmed dead in Mexico City, with another 12 in
Mexico State, and three dead in Guerrero.
About two million people in the capital were without electricity and
phone lines were down. Officials also warned residents not to smoke on
the streets as gas mains could have been ruptured.
Mexico City
Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera told TV network Televisa that rescue services
were dealing with collapsed or badly damaged buildings at 44 locations.
President
Peña Nieto said more than 20 children and two adults had been found
dead at the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen school in Mexico City's southern
Coapa district. He said another 30 children and eight adults were
missing.
A six-storey blocks of flats, a supermarket and a factory were also said to be among the collapsed buildings in the city.
As darkness fell, searchlights were brought in to help rescuers work through the night.
In a televised address, the president said an emergency had been
declared for the affected areas and the military was being drafted in to
help with the response.
"We may still find people under the
rubble. Stay in touch, follow lines of communication, we will keep
people updated," he said.
Across Mexico City, teams of rescue workers and volunteers clawed through the rubble with picks, shovels and their bare hands.
"My wife is there. I haven't been able to communicate with her," said Juan Jesus Garcia, 33, choking back tears next to a collapsed building.
"She is not answering and now they are telling us we have to turn off our mobile phones because there is a gas leak."
The earthquake drill was being held in Mexico City on the 32nd anniversary of a quake that killed up to 10,000 people.
Earthquake alarms did sound, correspondents say, but some residents apparently thought they were part of the day of drills.
Mexico City is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with more than 20 million people living in the metropolitan area.
"My wife is there. I haven't been able to communicate with her," said Juan Jesus Garcia, 33, choking back tears next to a collapsed building.
"She is not answering and now they are telling us we have to turn off our mobile phones because there is a gas leak."
The earthquake drill was being held in Mexico City on the 32nd anniversary of a quake that killed up to 10,000 people.
Earthquake alarms did sound, correspondents say, but some residents apparently thought they were part of the day of drills.
Mexico City is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, with more than 20 million people living in the metropolitan area.
There's a building with a gas leak and people under the rubble. The desperation here is mounting. pic.twitter.com/WurbFnNpTq— Juan Paullier (@juanpaullier) September 20, 2017
The prolonged tremor hit at 13:14 local time (18:14 GMT) and sent thousands of residents into the streets.
Jennifer
Swaddle, a teacher at the British International School in Mexico City,
told the BBC that part of her classroom collapsed after the earthquake
hit.
"Something that started as a tremor quickly escalated into something where the classroom shook," she said.
"As
we were leaving, the outside of my classroom wall fell, so there was a
big pile of rubble. Luckily, fantastically, nobody was hurt, but it was
incredibly frightening."
BBC
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