Central Mexico was rocked on Tuesday afternoon by a catastrophic magnitude 7.1 earthquake. Citing the US Geological Society (USGS), CNN reports that the epicenter of the earthquake is thought to have been 34.1 miles south-southwest of the city of Puebla, but the quake was felt in Mexico City as well, 75 miles north-northwest of the supposed epicenter. But in order to understand just how significant of an event this was, you need to see the videos taken from civilians on the ground as the earthquake shook and even toppled buildings.
As you would expect for an event of this magnitude, there are dozens of videos already floating around social media, but these are some of the most impactful that we saw in the moments following the earthquake:
Otro video muy impresionante #Temblor pic.twitter.com/dPSFyHSSmw
— Rodrigo Díaz Moreno (@TigerDiaz) September 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/BreakingNLive/status/910222546842394624
This is insane, take care my amigos#earthquake #mexicoearthquake pic.twitter.com/V3FvgS5CQm
— bipin mathew alex (@bipinalex) September 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/BasedMonitored/status/910212267354009600
Footage of shaking buildings during the earthquake in Mexico City pic.twitter.com/cXHks3Ur9W
— GITMO KAG2020 🇺🇸 (@President1Trump) September 19, 2017
President Enrique Peña Nieto tweeted the following earlier today: “I have called the National Emergency Committee to assess the situation and coordinate actions. PlanMX has been activated.” He then warned the people who might be returning home to check for damage, switch off any lights and turn off the gas until further notice. He also asked everyone to avoid the streets to allow emergency vehicles to pass.
September 19th marks the 32nd anniversary of the magnitude 8.1 quake that killed thousands in 1985. According to CBS News, at least five deaths have been reported by local media. Mexico City’s international airport has suspended activity while the airport personnel ensure that no damage was done. Additionally, schools in Mexico City, Puebla and Guerrero are closed until further notice.
