Mexico hit by biggest quake in century, 5 killed

[sandensea]

A major earthquake off Mexico's southern coast killed at least five people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses toppled and the quake produced tsunami waves and sent people running into the streets in panic.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake's magnitude as 8.1, but President Enrique Peña Nieto says it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years. He also said it was bigger than the 8.1 quake in 1985, which killed thousands and devastated large sections of Mexico City.

The death toll could rise as authorities assess the damage.

The president said that 62 aftershocks followed the quake and it's possible that one as strong as 7.2 could strike in the next 24 hours. Peña Nieto also said that serious damage had been caused and that 1 million customers initially had been without power following the quake, but that electricity had been restored to 800,000 of them.

The USGS said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 165 kilometers (102 miles) west of Tapachula in Chiapas, not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 69.7 kilometers (43.3 miles).

The quake was so strong that it caused buildings to sway violently in Mexico's capital more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away.

At: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/magnitude-earthquake-hits-southern-mexico-felt-capital-49695666

[Judi Lynn]

1. What are the chances a country could have the largest known hurricane on the east,

AND the largest earthquake in the same country on the west side at the SAME time?

What a shock it is to learn this earthquake checked in at 8.2, was well out in the water, and STILL did this kind of damage.

This is a time which could make some people downright depressed, and pessimistic. Not hard to understand how people long ago could become very frightened to the point they felt pressed to sacrifice someone! Why did they always sacrifice someone who was excellent? Why not use it as a time to ditch a total a-hole everyone hates, and claim he brought it all upon the world? That should make more sense, shouldn't it? It worked with Jonah.

The earthquake was so horrendous, even subsequent aftershocks were terrifying, as well.

Hoping the best for those in South West Mexico. Hope they've seen the last of earthquakes for quite a while. Moving buildings 650 miles away? Please stop!