MEXICO CITY, Sept 19 (Reuters) – A powerful earthquake struck western Mexico on Monday on the anniversary of two devastating quakes that shook buildings, knocked out power and sent Mexico City residents running for safety. Shortly after 1 p.m. (6 p.m. GMT), the 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck near the coast in the border region of Michoacán and Colima states at a depth of about 15 kilometers (9 miles), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. . Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said there were no immediate reports of damage in the capital after the quakes, which hit Mexico on the same day as major quakes that hit the country in 1985 and 2017. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up “It’s that date, there’s something about the 19th,” said Ernesto Lanzetta, a business owner in the city’s Cuautemoc district. “The 19th is a day to fear.” Power was cut in parts of the capital’s central Roma district, hundreds of kilometers (miles) northeast of the epicenter. Local residents carrying pets stood in the street, while tourists visiting a local market with a local guide were visibly confused and upset. Traffic lights stopped working and people clutched their phones, sending text messages or waiting for calls to go through. Thousands of people were killed in the September 19, 1985 earthquake, and more than 350 were killed in the September 19, 2017 earthquake. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for parts of the Mexican coast, saying waves reaching 1 to 3 meters (3 to 9 feet) above the high tide level were possible. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSign up Reporting from the Mexico City newsroom. written by Dave Graham. edited by Stephen Eisenhammer and Sandra Maler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
