MEXICO CITY: An earthquake of magnitude8.1 struck off the southern coast of Mexico late on Thursday,the U.S.Geological Survey (USGS) said, killing at least nine people, triggering small tsunami waves and damaging somebuildings.
The quake was apparently stronger than a devastating 1985tremor that flattened swathes of Mexico City and killedthousands, but initial reports of damage in the city werelimited.
The epicentre was 54 miles (87 km) southwest of the town ofPijijiapan in the southern state of Chiapas, at a depth of 43miles.
Three people were killed in the state, said GovernorManuel Velasquez.
Two more people were killed in neighbouringTabasco state, the state governor said.The quake triggered waves as high as 2.3 ft (0.7 m) inMexico, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
It saidwidespread, hazardous tsunami waves were possible within threehours.
However, there was no tsunami threat for American Samoaand Hawaii, according to the U.S.Tsunami Warning SystemAs far as 14,000 km (8700 miles) away in the Philippines,the national disaster agency put the country’s entire easternseaboard on alert.
No forced evacuation was ordered, butresidents were told to monitor emergency radio broadcasts.
In Mexico, some buildings were severely damaged in the southof the country, including a hotel where rescuers were searching
to make sure nobody was trapped.
Windows were broken at Mexico City airport and power wentout in several neighbourhoods of the capital.The cornice of ahotel collapsed in the southern tourist city of Oaxaca, awitness said.
People in the capital, one of the world´s largest cities,ran out into the streets in pyjamas and alarms sounded after thequake struck just before midnight, a Reuters witness said.
Helicopters hovered overhead a few minutes later, apparentlylooking for damage to buildings in the city, which is built on a
spongy, drained lake bed.
In one central neighbourhood, dozens of people stood outsideafter the quake, some wrapped in blankets against the cool night
air.
Children were crying.Liliana Villa, 35, was in her apartment when the earthquakestruck and she fled to the street in her pyjamas."It felt horrible, and I thought, ´this is going to fall´."USGS reported multiple aftershocks, ranging in magnitude
from 4.3 to 5.7.
State oil company Pemex said it was still checking fordamage at its installations but has no immediate reports ofproblems, including at the Salina Cruz refinery, which is in thesame region as the epicentre.
"I had never been anywhere where the earth moved so much.Atfirst I laughed, but when the lights went out I didn´t know what
to do," said Luis Carlos Briceno, an architect, 31, who wasvisiting Mexico City."I nearly fell over.