A strong 6.2 earthquake shook southernmost Mexico on Thursday, knocking out power to large parts of Chiapas state and causing panic among residents, according to seismologists.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.

Seismologists at the National Autonomous University of Mexico said it was a 6.2 quake and the US Geological Survey measured the quake at 6.1 in magnitude, indicating a strong earthquake apt to cause damage and injuries.

The temblor hit at 0109 GMT on Friday, at a depth of 125 kilometres, 40 kilometres west and southwest of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico and 390km northwest of Guatemala City.

Electrical power was out in the capital of Chiapas state, Tuxtla Gutierrez, as well as other areas near the border with Guatemala.

In the central commercial district of Tuxtla Gutierrez, windows were broken and decorative ceilings fell, causing minor injuries.

Authorities in three states ordered evacuations of buildings and businesses.

On April 13, a quake of 6.2 magnitude hit Mexico without causing major damage. The epicentre of the earthquake was located in the southern state of Guerrero near the Pacific coast.

The magnitude reading was based on the Moment Magnitude scale, now used by US seismologists, which measures the area of the fault that ruptured and the total energy released. - Sapa-AFP

Original Source: Independent Online

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