Strong earthquake strikes Mexico, 1 dead

Strong earthquake strikes Mexico, 1 dead

A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 struck Mexico early Friday, causing buildings to sway and leaving at least one person dead in the nation's capital.

The earthquake struck early Thursday shortly after 1 a.m., just three days after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook western and central Mexico, killing two.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday's earthquake, like Monday's, was centred in the western state of Michoacan near the Pacific coast. The epicentre was about 46 kilometres south-southwest of Aguililla, Michoacan, at a depth of about 24.1 kilometres.

Michoacan's state government said the quake was felt throughout the state, but did not immediately report damage.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said via Twitter that it was an aftershock from Monday's quake and was also felt in the states of Colima, Jalisco and Guerrero. The president said there were no immediate reports of damage.

A resident walks through a street cordoned off amid debris from the previous day's earthquake in Coalcoman, Michoacan state, Mexico, on Tuesday. (Armando Solis/The Associated Press)

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said via Twitter there were no immediate reports of damage in the capital. Residents were huddled in streets as seismic alarms blared.

The earthquake rattled an already jittery country. Monday's more powerful quake was the third major earthquake to strike on Sept. 19 — in 1985, 2017 and now 2022. The 2017 and 2022 Sept. 19 quakes came very shortly after the annual earthquake drill conducted every Sept. 19 to commemorate the devastating 1985 temblor that killed some 9,500 people.