Mexico earthquake sends many running into the streets

A strong earthquake rattled Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Thursday, causing panic as far away as the capital, but little damage was reported.

The temblor had a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 and an epicenter near Tecpan de Galeana in Guerrero state, about 60 miles northwest of Acapulco, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It struck at noon and was 15 miles deep.

Some roofs collapsed near the epicenter, but there were no immediate reports of serious injuries, government officials said.

Heavy shaking sent people running into the streets in Mexico City, more than 170 miles to the northeast, to get away from tall buildings. But hospitals, airports and public transportation were operating normally, city authorities said.

“What a big scare,” said Rosaura Gomez, 56, who ran out of a home in the Polanco area of the capital. “One of my neighbors began crying. ... What is going on?”

Carmen Lira, a 37-year-old secretary, said everyone in her office fled the building.

“It was very scary. Some of my colleagues suffered panic attacks because the buildings moved,” Lira said. “It felt very strong. We hope there wasn’t any damage.”

Felipe Sandoval Figueroa, a 44-year-old engineer, said he immediately thought about his wife and children when he felt the quake.

“Fortunately, they’re fine, but when you’re feeling such a powerful earthquake, you think of the worst,” he said. “Thank God, everything’s fine.”

Guerrero is a heavily seismic region. Thursday’s quake struck about 40 miles from the epicenter of a 7.2 temblor that shook central and southern Mexico on April 18.

Sanchez is a news assistant in The Times’ Mexico City bureau.