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ACAPULCO 6.5 EARTHQUAKE

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico’s western Guerrero State on Saturday night, shaking buildings and causing panic in the nation’s capital and in the Pacific resort of Acapulco. Officials said at least three people died, but there were no reports of widespread damage.

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The U.S. Geological Service initially estimated the quake magnitude at 6.8, but downgraded it to 6.7 and then 6.5. A quake of that magnitude is capable of causing severe damage, although the depth of this one lessened its impact.

The geological service said the quake occurred at a depth of 40.3 miles. It was centered about 26 miles southwest of Iguala in Guerrero and 103 miles southwest of Mexico City.

Mexico’s Interior Department said the quake was felt in parts of nine states.

Humberto Calvo, undersecretary of Guerrero’s Civil Protection agency, said three deaths had been reported in the state. He said one man was killed when a house’s roof collapsed in Iguala; a second died in the small town of Ixcateopan, and the driver of a cargo truck was killed by rocks that fell on the vehicle driving on the toll highway linking Acapulco with Mexico City.

High-rises swayed in the center of Mexico City for more than a minute, and shoppers were temporarily herded out of some shopping centers until the danger passed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/12/wo...rero.html?_r=1