Mexico City: More than 224 people have been killed in by a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck central Mexico on Tuesday.
Rescue crews and volunteers in Mexico City — home to 20 million people — frantically clawed through the rubble of at least 49 collapsed buildings looking for survivors and bodies.
Among the collapsed buildings in the capital were a six-storey apartment blocks, a school, a factory and a supermarket.
President Enrique Peña Nieto said more than 20 children had died and 30 were missing in the school collapse.
The epicentre of the latest quake was near Atencingo in Puebla state, about 120km (75 miles) from Mexico City, with a depth of 51km, the US Geological Survey said.
Earlier this month an 8.1 magnitude tremor in the south left at least 90 dead, raising speculation on how prone to earthquakes Mexico really is.
The death toll of 226 was confirmed on Twitter by the country’s national co-ordinator for civil protection. It includes at least 55 people killed in Morelos state, south of the capital, and 39 reported killed in Puebla state. One hundred and seventeen are also confirmed dead in Mexico City, with another 12 in Mexico State, and three dead in Guerrero.
The quake, which struck in the early afternoon, came hours after city authorities had conducted an earthquake drill, commemorating the 1985 earthquake anniversary. The 7.1 tremor caused damage in the bustling center of the city, and to areas south and west of the capital.
The death toll is expected to rise with many feared trapped underneath the collapsed buildings.
In a televised address, the president said an emergency had been declared for the affected areas and the military was being drafted in to help with the response.
“We may still find people under the rubble. Stay in touch, follow lines of communication, we will keep people updated,” he said.
Terrifying footage of a section of the road rising and falling:
Así es como se levantaba el pavimento durante el sismo 😨 #FuerzaMexico #PrayForMexico pic.twitter.com/QOdZDkF1D4
— Alerta Chiapas ⚡ (@AlertaChiapas) September 20, 2017
Footage of college students and staff in Mexico City running away from the collapsing buildings:
Así vivieron alumnos y personal el sismo de 7.1 grados en el Tec de Monterrey de la Ciudad de Mëxico
4 personas perdieron la vida allí. pic.twitter.com/Y7U3RaWVCl
— Alerta Chiapas ⚡ (@AlertaChiapas) September 20, 2017
Children being pulled out of the rubble:
Two children are pulled from the rubble by rescuers at Colegio Enrique Rebsamen, which partially collapsed after the earthquake in Mexico pic.twitter.com/SmNN9N16Mj
— BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) September 20, 2017
