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Earthquakes

1 dead after powerful earthquake rocks Mexican resort city; 1M without electricity as storms could complicate cleanup

John Bacon
USA TODAY
  • More than 1.6 million power customers were left in the dark.
  • The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.0 quake struck late Tuesday.
  • A motorcyclist was killed in the nearby town of Coyuca de Benitez.

Acapulco residents were sweeping glass and debris from their streets and homes Wednesday after a powerful earthquake centered near the Mexican resort city killed at least one person, damaged some buildings and sent others swaying for hundreds of miles.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7 quake struck late Tuesday about 10 miles north of Acapulco, a coastal city of almost 700,000 people in the state of Guerrero on Mexico's southwest coast. More than 150 aftershocks rolled across the region in the hours that followed.

The quake left 1.6 million homes and businesses in the dark, some as far away as Mexico City, 200 miles from the epicenter, the Federal Electricity Commission said. Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said power was quickly being restored in most neighborhoods that had gone dark in her city.

"A big hug to everyone for today's scare," she tweeted.

Guerrero state Gov. Hector Astudillo said a motorcyclist was killed by a falling post in the nearby town of Coyuca de Benitez.

"The seven regions of the state report that the damages have been mainly landslides and stones," Astudillo tweeted.

Tsunami threat passes without incident

The U.S. tsunami warning system activated, reporting that a tsunami was possible in the hours following the quake. Astudillo, however, said no variations in the sea level had been detected, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the threat of potential waves had passed. 

Tsunami's are often triggered by earthquakes and can be more deadly. A massive earthquake in Japan a decade ago triggered a tsunami blamed for most of the estimated 18,000 deaths from the tragedy.

Tuesday's earthquake came exactly four years after a magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico’s southern state of Chiapas, killing dozens of people and destroying thousands of homes in the city of Juchitan.

PreviouslyAt least 1 dead as powerful earthquake strikes Mexico; buildings sway in Mexico City

Terrifying ride in cable car suspended over Mexico City

Tuesday's quake was less than 8 miles below the Earth's surface, the relatively shallow depth explaining why it was felt so far away. Videos posted to social media show terrified people in a cable car swinging wildly over Iztapalapa borough in Mexico City as the earthquakes rolls beneath them. People in the packed cable car appear remarkably calm and mostly quiet, although a woman is heard crying.

The car was evacuated more than an hour later after continuing to a nearby station.

Storms could complicate cleanup

“Fortunately, there was not greater damage,” President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Wednesday.

Showers and thunderstorms forecast for later Wednesday in both Mexico City and Acapulco could make the cleanup more difficult – and prove uncomfortable for people sleeping outside damaged homes.

"The next several days will feature a typical summertime pattern with afternoon pop-up thunderstorms in the Mexico City area," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva. "Anyone assisting with the earthquake cleanup will want to keep an eye to the sky for these pop-up afternoon storms."

In Acapulco, Mayor Adela Román said shelters were available for people whose homes were damaged.

"People are worried because there have been aftershocks,” she said, adding that there are “many gas leaks in many places."

Deadly quake, Hurricane Katia:A one-two punch for Mexico

Sergio Flores, an Acapulco resident, said he saw people fleeing hotels, some running into parking decks to remove their cars.

“We heard loud noise from the building, noise from the windows, things fell inside the house, the power went out,” Flores said. “We heard leaking water, the water went out of the pool and you heard people screaming.”

Contributing: The Associated Press

A man walks in from of a convenience store on a street covered with debris after a strong earthquake, in Acapulco, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021.
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