7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Mexico, buildings sway in capital

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck north of Acapulco, Mexico, on Tuesday, officials said.

Buildings swayed in Mexico City, according to The Associated Press. There were no immediate reports of major damage. Mexico City is around 180 miles north of Acapulco.

Mexico Preisdent Andrés Manuel López Obrador said in a video Tuesday night that there were no reports of deaths and the damage appeared limited. There were rock slides near Acapulco, he said.

“Fortunately, we don’t have at this hour any information about loss of human life,” the president said.

Damaged cars outside a hotel after a quake in Acapulco, Guerrero state, Mexico on Sept. 7, 2021.Francisco Robles / AFP – Getty Images

The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It had a depth of around 20 kilometers, or around 12 miles, which is a shallow earthquake, the USGS said.

Hector Astudillo, the governor of Guerrero state, which is home to Acapulco, said there were currently no reports of serious damage, according to Reuters. The mayor of Mexico City also said there were no immediate reports of major damage in the capital.

Park Royal Beach Acapulco, a resort, told NBC News that they felt the earthquake but there were no injuries reported, but staff were checking hotels to make sure.

In Chilapa in Guerrero state, video appeared to show bricks and other material in the street next to a damaged building.

The earthquake was initially reported as a 7.4 magnitude but was revised to 7.0.

That area of Mexico has seen earthquakes of that strength before.

There have been eight previous earthquakes around that size since 1900, USGS geophysicist Jessica Turner said, ranging from 6.5 to a 7.6 magnitude temblor in 1957.

In Mexico City, the ground shook for nearly a minute in some parts of the capital, but the quake was less evident in other parts, the AP reported. Some people evacuated their buildings briefly, but most quickly went back inside on the rainy night. Electricity was reportedly out in some neighborhoods.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed.

source: nbcnews.com