6.5 magnitude earthquake hits Mexico City; no injuries reported

A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico City and parts of southwestern Guerrero state on Friday (January 2), as confirmed by the national seismological service. President Claudia Sheinbaum, along with journalists attending her morning press conference, had to evacuate the presidential palace when the earthquake alert was triggered. They returned to the building shortly after. Sheinbaum explained that the earthquake's epicenter was located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from San Marcos in Guerrero, roughly 230 kilometers away from Mexico City.

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Initial reports suggested that no significant damage had been reported in either Mexico City or Guerrero. The US Geological Survey confirmed that the quake hit at 1358 GMT, or 7:58 am local time. Mexico City's location on soft, former lakebed soil makes it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, and quakes originating off Guerrero’s Pacific coast are often felt most strongly in the capital. This earthquake comes more than three decades after the deadly 8.1 magnitude quake on September 19, 1985, which caused widespread destruction in Mexico City and claimed nearly 13,000 lives, according to official statistics.

Earthquakes do's and don'ts

• Repair deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations. Get expert advice if there are signs of structural defects.
• Anchor overhead lighting fixtures to the ceiling.
• Follow the BIS codes relevant to your area for building standards
• Fasten shelves securely to walls.
• Place large or heavy objects on lower shelves.
• Do not move from where you are. However, move away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and utility wires.
• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there is no table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
• Protect yourself by staying under the lintel of an inner door, in the corner of a room, under a table, or even under a bed.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall (such as lighting fixtures or furniture).