Over 200 Killed After 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Mexico, The Second This Month

More than 200 people were killed when a powerful, 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico, toppling buildings in the capital and sowing panic on the anniversary of a devastating 1985 quake.

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Rescue crews and volunteers in Mexico City clawed through the rubble of at least 49 collapsed buildings looking for survivors and bodies. Local media reported that families were getting Whatsapp messages pleading for help from desperate relatives trapped under the debris.

Mexico City recorded 36 of the deaths, while Morelos state directly south of it saw 64 killed. The others were registered in Puebla (29), a town southeast of the capital, and in Mexico state (nine), which lies just to the west of the capital.

Crowd cheers as dog is rescued from the rubble following massive 7.1 M Earthquake in Mexico City. ?pic.twitter.com/qs63RSrIIl

¡ª ??TrumpRussia?? (@TrumpEra_2017) September 20, 2017

National Coordinator for Civil Protection Luis Felipe Puente said a total of at least 138 people died when he spoke last in morning, but number have already crossed 200 mark. Memories of the devastating 1985 earthquake that killed 10,000 people in Mexico City spurred panic on Tuesday. Many quickly ran for safety outdoors when walls around them swayed and cracked.

Horrific moment #earthquake knocks down building caught on video; LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/TMl3WAUBwz pic.twitter.com/UyCpVJJ8lJ #sismo

¡ª RT (@RT_com) 19 September 2017

"I'm so worried. I can't stop crying. It's the same nightmare as in 1985," Georgina Sanchez, 52, sobbed to AFP in a plaza in the capital.

Amamia Sanchez, a 45-year-old secretary cried out: "It's just not possible that this happened also on September 19."

Usuarios grabaron el momento en que un edificio se colapsa por el sismo pic.twitter.com/W8hamukccw

¡ª REFORMACOM (@Reforma) 19 September 2017

The quake ¡ª which occurred in the early afternoon, hours after city authorities had conducted an earthquake drill ¡ª caused damage in the bustling centre of the city, and to areas south and west of the capital.

Earthquake in Mexico. SubhanAllah look at those tall buildings sway as if they were nothing. pic.twitter.com/dPtHpxgGjp

¡ª Top Islamic Tweets (@Maestrouzy) September 20, 2017

"We ran outside thinking all was going to collapse around us," said Lazaro Frutis, a 45-year-old who escaped an office building before it crumbled to the ground. "The worst thing is, we don't know about our families or anything."

"It was horrible," said resident Leiza Visaj Herrera, 27. "I didn't want to get close under any tree. I had to hold onto the ground."

Scenes of chaos permeated the city straight after the earth shuddered. Traffic jammed to a standstill before blanked-out stop lights, and anxious people ran between vehicles as ambulances tried to make headway, sirens squealing.

Emergency officials warned people in the streets to avoid smoking because of the risk of igniting gas leaking from ruptured pipes.

Earthquake in Mexico City ? #PrayForMexico #bestrong pic.twitter.com/hBmFwjiym7

¡ª JJ (@Raiderzilla) September 20, 2017

In several locations, people were seen clambering on buildings that were now piles of stone and tangled metal to pull people out.

Jorge Lopez, a 49-year-old Spaniard living in Mexico City, said that he raced to the school in the central Roma district where his children aged six and three were in class, to find it collapsed but his offspring safe but terrified.

"We arrived at the school and everyone was crying, everyone was frantic, and the kids were holding on to a rope," he said.

"It's uncontrollable. You can't do anything against nature."

Witnesses said another school was smashed to rubble in Cuernavaca, a town just south of the capital. The fate of the pupils and teachers was unknown.

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An office building of around five stories in the chic Condesa district of central Mexico City collapsed. Volunteers scrambled among the debris, pulling out three survivors and looking for more.

"There are people trapped there!" yelled one woman.

Similar efforts were made at other smashed buildings nearby. At one, an emergency worker held up a sign commanding "Silence" so crews could listen for the sounds of any survivors.

Tha world falling apart! #Sismo #FuerzaMexico #mexicoearthquake #Mexico pic.twitter.com/ye7RQyRjIQ

¡ª Taylorian Team (@TayloriansTeam) September 20, 2017

The city's international airport closed for more than three hours following the quake, and the stock market was forced to shut down.

Hours after the quake, residents stood around outside, in the streets, fearing aftershocks.

On the clogged roads, many without lights, muggers came out at night to assault trapped motorists.

Appeals for missing people multiplied on television.

Center of Mexico City right now after 7.4 earthquake. Scary. Hope folks are ok. Video shot by a friend in DF pic.twitter.com/tlYtpEShcB

¡ª David Prager (@dlprager) September 19, 2017

reuters

Video captures building exploding after a 7.1 Earthquake strikes Mexico City. Please pray for Mexico. pic.twitter.com/pL6dQYCBmx

¡ª Ayuda Militar (@AyudaMilitar) September 20, 2017

Mexican foreign minister Luis Videgaray responded by saying "Mexico sincerely thanks the displays of international solidarity that we are receiving."

Mexico is prone to earthquakes, being located in a seismically active region. Its last major quake, on September 7, killed 96 people in the southern part of the country.