08 September 2017•Update: 09 September 2017
By Nancy Caouette
MEXICO CITY
At least 33 people were killed Friday when a a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico, authorities said.
The head of the National Civil Protection, Luis Felipe Puente, confirmed to local radio 23 people died in Oaxaca state, eight in Chiapas and two in Tabasco.
Puente said those three southern Pacific states near the epicenter were the most affected by the earthquake.
"In Juchitan, [in Oaxaca], the municipal palace, the market and a hotel collapsed. Several houses were destroyed and we are still looking for people among the rubble,” he said.
President Enrique Peña Nieto announced a state of emergency in Chiapas and warned residents a strong aftershock is likely within the next 24 hours that could cause a "minor degree” of damage.
A tsunami alert issued for the Pacific coast of Mexico “does not represent a major risk,” he said.
The quake was felt strongly in Mexico City, 965 kilometers (600 miles) from the epicenter.
No major damages have been reported in the capital but the city is dealing with power outages.
Education Secretary Aurelio Nuño Mayer announced classes were suspended in 11 of the country’s 31 states, and in Mexico City, to assess damages at schools.
The civil protection agency said it was the quake early Friday is strongest tremor to strike the country since a 8.2-magnitude quake in 1985 killed more than 10,000 victims and destroyed a large part of Mexico City.
