Strong Earthquake Hit Mexico; at Least One Death Reported

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook buildings in Mexico City on Friday morning causing residents to stream out of their homes and killing at least one person, but no major damage has been reported.

Mexico is among the world’s most seismic countries, where past earthquakes have taken hundreds or even thousands of lives, including a pair of especially deadly quakes as recent as 2017.

A 67-year-old man died in the capital after falling down the stairs while trying to evacuate his building, local news outlet Milenio reported. The quake’s epicenter was further south in Guerrero state in the coastal town of San Marcos, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) away from the capital.

The government’s earthquake alert was activated at 7:58 a.m. in the streets and on mobile phones, allowing citizens to evacuate their residences seconds before the tremor reached densely packed Mexico City. Even President Claudia Sheinbaum briefly suspended her daily press conference to leave the hall where she holds court each morning in the National Palace.

National emergency services reported only minor damages in Guerrero, Mexico City and other states. More than 150 aftershocks have been recorded so far, the largest one reaching a 4.5 magnitude, the agency said in a statement.