6.2 magnitude quake felt in Mexico City, citizens evacuate onto streets (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)
Earthquake warning sirens are currently sounding in Mexico City while the head of the city government has advised that emergency protocols have been activated following a 6.4 temblor in the city of Ixtepec in the southern state of Oaxaca.
Initial reports from the Mexican Seismological authority said the quake struck at 07:53 am local time at a depth of 10 kilometers with an epicenter approximately 12 km north of the City of Ixtepec. This is around 530km south of Mexico City.
Just woke up to our hotel shaking...no idea how big but we all evacuated into the street - no time for shoes #MexicoCity#aftershockpic.twitter.com/4qEWy85EQH
— Christina Pascucci (@ChristinaKTLA) September 23, 2017
In an update, the service downgraded it to a 6.1 magnitude earthquake, placing its epicenter seven kilometers west of the town of Union Hidalgo in Oaxaca at a depth of 75km.
So far there have been no reports of injuries, fatalities or damage, reports news outlet 24 Horas.
Rescue operations in Mexico City following the September 19 quake have been temporarily suspended while a risk assessment is carried out, according to the National Coordinator of the Civil Protection Authority, Luis Felipe Puente.
Me agarro a 1 calle saliendo de casa, me tuve que regresar a ver si salió mi familia. Al parecer todo bien. pic.twitter.com/S1W4SBlRxQ
— GermánRamone (@GERMANRAMONE) September 23, 2017
Earlier Saturday, Oaxaca registered at least four earthquakes in the early hours, ranging between a magnitude of 4.1 and 5.8 on the Richter scale.
A total of three earthquakes off the coast of Paredon were recorded by the USGS, at depths ranging from 74.2km to 10km.
Prelim M5.8 earthquake near the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico Sep-23 10:38 UTC, updates https://t.co/7xFXpfiPgU
— USGS Big Quakes (@USGSBigQuakes) September 23, 2017
Mexico's National Seismological Service recorded a total of four earthquakes in as many hours in the Gulf of Tehuantepec off the coast of states Chiapas and Oaxaca.
SISMO Magnitud 5.8 Loc. 123 km al SURESTE de SALINA CRUZ, OAX 23/09/17 05:38:05 Lat 15.24 Lon -94.58 Pf 33 km
— Sismológico Nacional (@SSNMexico) September 23, 2017
Mexico has suffered far more powerful earthquakes recently; a 7.1 magnitude one that hit on Tuesday, killing at least 295 people, as well as the 8.1 magnitude quake in the southern state of Chiapas earlier in September.
READ MORE: Over 200 dead as powerful 7.1 earthquake destroys buildings in central Mexico
Mexico lies at the meeting point of three major tectonic plates, and it is therefore prone to multiple earthquakes within a short time, as have occurred in recent weeks.