A strong earthquake shook Mexico City and the nation's southern regions Monday, killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens in Jalisco state. High-rise buildings swayed crazily in the capital, frightening people into the streets.
Jalisco state spokeswoman Claudio Villalobos told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the 14 dead and 80 injured were reported from the two small towns of Tenamaxtlan and America, near the Pacific Coast.Both towns were isolated by rockslides and collapsed bridges, and telephone and power service were reported out.
It was the second powerful quake to hit Mexico in a month.
Monday's tremor had a preliminary reading of 7.5, the National Seismological Service said. The epicenter was located three miles off the Pacific Coast between the states of Colima and Jalisco.
It struck at 9:37 a.m., lasted about two minutes and was followed by two smaller aftershocks.