Chiwas, are you ok?

[aexchange]

Deadly quake shakes Mexico

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (CNN) -- The Mexican government dispatched small aircraft to remote areas of the country Wednesday to assess damage after a powerful earthquake killed as many as 23 people, injured 160 and caused widespread destruction.

At least 21 people died in the coastal state of Colima, said Fernando Moreno Pena, Colima's governor. Mexican officials said two others died in the state of Jalisco. (Map)

The government said the exact death toll won't be known until later Wednesday.

The U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, put the quake's magnitude at 7.8, but the National Seismological Center in Mexico City calculated a magnitude of 7.6.

The Geological Survey said the quake was centered near the Pacific Coast around Colima, about 30 miles east-southeast of the city of Manzanillo. It struck Tuesday at 8:06 p.m. local time (9:06 p.m. EST). The agency initially reported a magnitude of 7.3 but revised the number after additional calculations.

An earthquake with a magnitude of more than 7.0 is capable of widespread and heavy damage.

The quake was felt more than 300 miles away in the capital, Mexico City.

Damage had been reported in the states of Colima, Michoacan and Jalisco, and the quake "may have caused substantial damage and casualties due to its location and size," the U.S. Geological Survey Web site said.

Residents throughout Colima reported power outages. Landslides had knocked out utilities in some areas, said Carlos Gelista, Mexico's director of emergency management for the Civil Protection Agency.

A man in Comala, seven miles north of the capital, Colima, said the quake was strong but lasted less than a minute. He said the electricity was out for a couple of hours and damage in the community was minor.

In Mexico City, buildings swayed, and residents gathered in the streets as a precaution. There were reported power outages in the city.


Colima resident Manuel Nestas looks over the damage done to his house by the earthquake.



Police cars with lights flashing drove slowly through the streets of Mexico City asking residents over loudspeakers if they were OK, according to The Associated Press.

Some people had fled so quickly they had no shoes and had little more than blankets to protect them from the cold night air, the AP reported.

"I felt it very strongly and I saw all the people leave, very scared," Victor Morales, a 46-year-old apartment building superintendent in the Condesa neighborhood, told the AP. "I stayed calm because I trust in God."

"This is the largest earthquake in this general area since a magnitude 8.0 event on October 9, 1995," the U.S. Geological Survey said. "The 1995 earthquake killed at least 49 people and caused extensive damage in Colima and Jalisco."

[Chiwas]

Damn it! yes aexchange, but I have a brother in Mexico City, let me check...

Thanks, I´ll be back.

[Chiwas]

I just talked with my brother; he´s ok. There were few deaths in México City but a lot in Colima; it´s far from Chihuahua.

My brother said his building was balancing (moving) but that movements are usual in that city, they have minor earthquakes weekly. They are used to, but last night was stronger, he said.

The epicenter (spl?) was near to Colima, in the western shores, that's why they have a lot of damage.

I didn't know till reading your post, thank you, aexchange.

[Chiwas]

The newspapers report only 20 deaths in Colima. I mean it's good there weren't as many as in other quakes.

[Drbio]

I used to climb the Colima volcano. It was active then and always smoked. wow.

[turbo.mav]

Glad you and your family are alright Chiwas

[Chiwas]

Thanks, Turbo. The only threatened was my oldest brother but he is ok.

I have expended this morning thinking in the people in Colima...and other states.

They have a problem over there. It's a bunch of volcanoes, Drbio mentioned one, in a triangle formed from Jalisco (Puerto Vallarta) to Guerrero (Acapulco) and Michoacan (Morelia), and Veracruz. Mexico City is in the center of the triangle. Then there is a lot of volcanic activity and tectonic movement, which produces the eartquakes.

They always have the risk, and it´s one of the zones more densely populated in the world.

I was thinking also in the San Andreas Fault.

[Drbio]

Chiwas- I have been to the Morelia areas too....the volcanic triangle that you mentioned is spectacular. When I lived in Chapala and Ajijic (Jalisco) I used to go into Michoacan all the time and I loved to eat in Ocatlan. I knew a lot of people in that area and have no way to get in touch with them. I sent an email to some friends of mine at the Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara but have not heard back. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] My thoughts and prayers are with the fine people in these areas. I truly respect and appreciate the people in that region.

[Drbio]

Lago de Chapala is a spectacular lake formed by the volcanic activity over time. It's the largest graben lake in North America. My home was on the coast of Lago de Chapala.

[nowitzki_prophecy]

glad no one you know is hurt chiwas.

[Chiwas]

Yes, Doc, that people are very nice. I was just talking with a friend of mine 5 minutes ago (she collects books from the neighbors because is making a library in a very poor sector in our city) about that people and we concluded that, maybe they are poorer and less developed than we, but they are better persons, nice, simple persons. (I can't tell you what we think about ourselves, chihuahuenses.)

NP, thanks buddy.

[Smiles]

Chiwas!

hey, i haven't been on the site most of the week. i'm so gald to hear that your brother is okay. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

i've only been in tiny earthquakes in california, and those are freaky enough. i cannot imagine one that is so strong and lasts for so long.

[Chiwas]

Gracias, SAM!