6.2 Quake Hits Off Coast of Southern Mexico

A magnitude-6.2 earthquake that hit off the coast of the southern Mexican state of Chiapas on Saturday shook as far away as El Salvador but brought no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake at 12:47 p.m. local time broke windows in the Chiapas state capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez and sent frightened residents into the streets in numerous cities. It was felt from the Mexican state of Veracruz, through Pacific regions of Guatemala and into El Salvador.

“It was quite long and felt with a lot of force,” said Carlos Lopez Mendoza, spokesman with the Red Cross in El Salvador.

The temblor, which some said felt like waves, also shook the Mexican cities of Comitan and Tapachula, said Jose Manuel Aragon, spokesman for the Chiapas Civil Protection agency.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean about 35 miles (57 kilometers) southwest of the city of Mapastepec, on the coast near the border with Guatemala. It had a depth of 41 miles (66 kilometers.)

“People here wanted to run,” said Juan Carlos Hernandez, a restaurant owner in Mapastepec. “Luckily it was nothing bigger than a scare.”