6.9 magnitude earthquake shakes Mexico, killing two
Steph Deschamps / September 22, 2022
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 was recorded Thursday morning in Mexico, announced the national seismological service. A woman died in Mexico City when she fell "down the stairs in her home" after the earthquake alert was activated, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said, citing the Citizen Security Services on Twitter. One man died of a heart attack.
The strong tremor shook the capital city of Mexico City, home to 22 million people, three days after a powerful earthquake on Monday, September 19, the anniversary of two deadly earthquakes in 1985 and 2017.
On Thursday, the residents of Mexico City were surprised in their sleep. Many of them rushed into the streets in their pajamas when they heard the alarm sirens.
The epicenter was located in the state of Michoacan, in western Mexico, 84 kilometers from the city of Coalcoman, said the seismological service. Monday's 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which killed two people, was also located in Michoacan.
The seismological service revised upwards the magnitude of Thursday's earthquake, initially measured at 6.5. Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said official helicopters were flying over the city.
This is the strongest aftershock of the earthquake of Monday, September 19, according to the national seismological service cited by the newspaper Milenio news site.
Monday's powerful earthquake had shaken Mexico City an hour after millions of people participated in a prevention exercise organized each year by authorities to mark the anniversary of the September 19, 1985 and 2017 earthquakes.