Acapulco, Guerrero — At least one person has been killed and more than 1.8 million left without electricity after a powerful 7.1 magnitude quake hit Acapulco. The earthquake was registered at 8:47 p.m. Tuesday night and affected 81 municipalities.
The National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) reported that the epicenter of the 7.1 magnitude earthquake was near the port of Acapulco, Guerrero. State governor Héctor Astudillo has confirmed the death of one person who, he said, was struck by an electric power pole in the municipality of Coyuca de Benítez.
He reported that there have been several aftershocks, one of 5.2 around 9:00 p.m. and another 5.0 at 12:42 a.m. Wednesday morning. The National Seismological Service (SSN) reported a third strong 4.9 aftershock at 4:50 a.m. with an epicenter 6 kilometers southwest of Acapulco.
The earthquake has caused material damage in Acapulco and nearby towns such as Chilpancingo, Coyuca and San Marcos. There was breakage of glass and various damages in office buildings, homes, hotels and some fallen fences in Chilpancingo, the state capital. A landslide and rockfall on the Scenic Highway was also reported.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located 11 kilometers southwest of Acapulco, at a latitude of 16.78 degrees, longitude -99.93 and a depth of 10 kilometers. Damage was also reported in the control tower at the Acapulco airport.
The quake was also felt in Mexico City where mayor Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, reported no deaths and very little damage, adding that power has been restored to most of the capital city.
The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) reported that the earthquake affected a total of 1,864,616 users in Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Guerrero, Morelos and Oaxaca.
Tours for damage continue in Michoacán, Morelos, Veracruz, Chiapas, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Colima, Jalisco and Tabasco, where trembles were moderate.