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At least 120 dead in major earthquake near Mexico City

Countries
Mexico
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

At least 120 people were killed by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Mexico on 19 September. The earthquake occurred in central Mexico and it affected five states. National civil protection authorities are evaluating the necessity of an international request for assistance. Two million people in Mexico City, which was one of the hardest hit areas, are without power. At least 29 buildings in the city have collapsed, according to initial reports.

Authorities have closed the Mexico City airport to conduct assessments; flights are currently being redirected to the Toluca airport, located some 60km from Mexico City. Some health facilities in Mexico City have evacuated until their facilities are assessed by structural engineers for safety.

At least 42 people have been killed in Morelos. Assessments are underway and the numbers are expected to climb.

The Mexican National Committee for Emergencies is assessing the necessity of an international search and rescue mobilization.

The President of Mexico, Mr. Enrique Peña Nieto, has landed at a military airport close to Mexico City and will chair the national response strategy going forward. Mr. Peña Nieto had been on official mission in the state of Oaxaca, which had been affected by an earthquake on 7 September.

OCHA staff in Mexico have established communication with the National Committee for Emergencies and a UN Disaster Assistance Coordination (UNDAC) team is on standby.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.