24Naija

Breaking: Magnitude 8.1 earthquake capable of causing a Tsunami hits Mexico

Early this morning, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico. It has now upgraded to 8.1. The tremor stuck at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles) and triggered a tsunami warning off the coast of Chiapas, Mexico.

 

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has already issued a statement on his Twitter, saying emergency protocols have been put in place.  “Civil protection protocols are activated, including the National Emergency Committee, after earthquake 8.0 magnitude” he tweeted.

Within one hour of the initial quake, four aftershocks of more than magnitude-5 were recorded by the USGS.

 

At the moment, parts of Mexico City are without power, and authorities have already dispatched extra patrols to those areas, Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said in an interview on ForoTV.  A first assessment using helicopters and the city’s security cameras, do not show immediate damage, but officials in the Mexican capital continue to monitor, the mayor said.