An earthquake measuring 7.4 hit Mexico just after noon local time on Tuesday. The epicenter of the quake was located in the state of Guerrero near the Pacific coast in the central region of the country.
The earthquake is reported to have damaged over 800 homes in towns and cities close to the epicenter. The quake could be felt as far away as Mexico City, the country’s capital. It caused tall buildings in the capital to sway back and forth creating panic as office workers ran into the streets.
This was one of the country’s strongest quakes since the deadly temblor of 1985 that killed thousands of people in the capital. The tourist city of Acapulco was near the epicenter and some damage was reported.
Aftershocks were felt for hours after the first quake at around noon. The strongest aftershock registered 5.1 and kept many officers workers in the capital on the streets, too afraid to enter their offices.
The president of the country, Felipe Calderon called upon his citizens to remain calm. Many towns reported power outages throughout the area where the quake hit.
