New Delhi: A strong earthquake centered near the resort of Huatulco shook parts of southern and central Mexico on Tuesday. With collapsing buildings and prompting evacuations, the jolt killed at least five people, injuring several others and sending thousands into the street.

ALSO READ|'Discriminatory', Alleges US Transport Dept As It Regulates Air India's Charter Flights

The earthquake occurred at 10:29 a.m. local time, with an epicenter 6.8 miles southwest of Santa María Zapotitlán in Oaxaca state, near El Coyul but was felt more than 400 miles away in the capital, Mexico City, where buildings shook and panicked residents fled on to the streets.

According to a report by The Guardian, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that one person was killed in a building collapse in Huatulco, Oaxaca, while state governor Alejandro Murat said a second person was killed in an apparent house collapse in the mountain village of San Juan Ozolotepec and a third died in circumstances he did not explain.

Pemex, the state-owned petroleum company, tweeted that one of its oil refineries burst into flames. The fire was put out, but a man was injured and taken to a hospital, Pemex said. Mexico's civil protection agency later reported that the man had died.


Mexico's seismological service said a tsunami on the Oaxaca coast was ongoing, with sea levels rising 2 feet at Huatulco beach, a popular destination for tourists. The civil protection agency recommended that residents move away from the coastline.


"We will continue to call on people to act with precaution due to possible aftershocks. Let's take care of ourselves without anguish or despair," López Obrador said in Spanish.


As of late Tuesday afternoon, over 447 aftershocks had been reported, according to the civil protection agency.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that 2 million people felt strong or moderate shaking and that 49 million more felt weak or light shaking.

ALSO WATCH| Are humans to be blamed for COVID-19 outbreak?