Two people killed in magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Mexico

At least two people have died after a powerful earthquake hit southern and central Mexico on Friday.

A 50-year-old woman died in Guerrero, the state’s governor Evelyn Salgado said, while Clara Brugada, Mexico City’s mayor, confirmed the death of a 60-year-old man and said 12 others had been injured in the capital.

Mexico is situated in one of the world’s most seismically active areas, sitting at the meeting point of four tectonic plates.

Late on Friday night, Brugada said power has been restored to “98% of the failures reported” in Mexico City.

Two structures were being evaluated for risk of collapse, she said, while 34 buildings and five homes were being inspected as a preventative measure.

Damage assessments are under way in Mexico City after roads and hospitals were impacted, according to news agency Reuters, while authorities noted various landslides on highways around the Guerrero state.

Mexico’s seismological service had registered 420 aftershocks by midday local time (18:00 GMT).

President Claudia Sheinbaum was holding her first press conference of the year when the earthquake struck.

In a video capturing the moment, Sheinbaum can be heard saying “it’s shaking” as an earthquake alert system rings in the background. She then tells the media to “all get out calmly”.

Additional footage shows buildings shaking in Mexico City and cars trembling in Acapulco.

After hearing the Mexican Seismic Alert System early on Friday, residents and tourists rushed into the streets of Mexico City and Acapulco.

The seismic system was put into place following the deadly 1985 earthquake that claimed more than 10,000 lives.

In 2017, a 7.1 magnitude quake killed more than 200 people and toppled dozens of buildings in Mexico City.