6.5-magnitude earthquake jolts Mexico

A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern and central Mexico early Friday (January 2), shaking the capital Mexico City and triggering widespread alarm, according to the country’s National Seismological Service.

The quake was recorded at 7:58am (local time), with its epicentre located near San Marcos in the southern state of Guerrero, about 92 kilometres from the Pacific coastal resort city of Acapulco, reports BBC.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the tremor originated at a depth of approximately 35 kilometres.

The strong shaking prompted emergency alerts across affected regions. President Claudia Sheinbaum was delivering a press briefing at the National Palace when the alert sounded, forcing her and journalists to briefly evacuate to a safe location before resuming the briefing.

Later, the president said she had spoken with Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado and confirmed that civil defence authorities nationwide had been placed on alert. She added that no casualties or major damage had been reported so far, including in Mexico City.

Mexico lies along several active tectonic plate boundaries and is frequently affected by earthquakes of varying intensity.