Powerful quake shakes Mexico

A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck southwest Mexico yesterday, causing residents in the capital several hundred miles away to rush out onto the streets but no immediate reports of serious damage.

The quake struck near the tourist resort of Acapulco, just after midday some 25 kilometres northeast of the town of Ometepec, the US Geological Survey said. Earlier it had estimated the magnitude at 7.9, before downgrading it to 7.6.

“There are no reports of serious damage by the quake,” President Felipe Calderon wrote on his Twitter account.

In Mexico City, the quake swayed buildings, telephone and power lines were cut off and traffic lights stopped working as office workers rushed into the streets.

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrand reported no serious damage was visible during a helicopter survey.

It was one of the strongest quakes to shake Mexico City since 1985, when an 8.1 quake left between 6,000 and 30,000 dead, according to officials and rescue organisations.