Mexico City earthquake: Was country READY for huge tremor on anniversary of mega quake?

The quake hit five miles southeast of Atencingo in the state of Puebla at a depth of 32 miles today, Tuesday September 19. 

It shook the capitalof Mexico on the anniversary of the 1985 earthquake, which cost thousands of lives and destroyed buildings across the capital. 

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was magnitude 7.1, and the epicentre was near the town of Raboso, about 76 miles southeast of Mexico City.

Only two hours and 15 minutes before the powerful quake, buildings across the city were holding practice evacuation drills on the anniversary of the 1985 quake.  

The 1985 Mexico City earthquake killed 5,000 people and serious damage to the Greater Mexico City area. 

The National Seismological Service has claimed that 45,000 people died in the 1985 earthquake.

According to government figures, around 250,000 people los their homes due to the earthquake. 

The extent of the damage of this earthquake is not immediately clear but people reportedly fled their office buildings along the central Reforma Avenue.

Traffic came to a standstill as thousands of workers blocked the streets escaping their office buildings.

Much of Mexico City is built on a former lake bed and the soil is known to amplify the effects of earthquakes.