A powerful earthquake rocked Mexico on Tuesday, killing dozens of people and toppling buildings — less than two weeks after a deadly 8.1-magnitude quake hit the country and left nearly 100 dead.
The quake struck central Mexico at about 2:15 p.m. ET and had a magnitude of 7.1, the United States Geological Survey said. Its epicenter was in the state of Puebla, about 80 miles southeast of the capital, Mexico City.
At least 42 people were dead in just the central Mexican state of Morelos alone, according to Graco Ramirez, the governor there.
In Puebla, as many as 11 were dead, various officials said. And at least two others were killed in Mexico State, Gov. Alfredo del Mazo told the Televisa news network.
The quake was felt far and wide. In Mexico City, there were power outages and collapsed buildings, Telemundo reported. Damaged hospitals evacuated patients. Along Reforma Avenue in the capital, thousands fled office buildings as they swayed, the Associated Press reported.
In the Mexico City neighborhood of Roma, rescue workers cheered after finding a woman alive under rubble, according to the AP. They then quieted down to listen for calls from other survivors.
Videos on social media showed tables and light fixtures shaking in restaurants and street signs and traffic lights quivering outside.
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto was on a flight to Oaxaca when the quake struck and said in a tweet that he was immediately returning to Mexico City to assess the situation.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has clashed with Nieto over his repeated calls for a border wall between their countries, sent his support in a tweet.
“God bless the people of Mexico City. We are with you and will be there for you,” he wrote.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott offered “the thoughts and prayers of Texans” to Mexico and said the state would “continue to offer any support to aid Mexico in their time of need.”
In Puebla, Gov. Tony Gali said on Twitter that the extent of the damage was not immediately clear. There were no initial reports of injuries in the region, according to Puebla’s Civil Protection Agency.
Coincidentally, earlier on Tuesday, buildings across Mexico City held earthquake drills to mark the anniversary of a massive Sept 19, 1985, earthquake that killed at least 9,500, the AP said.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.