Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake Hits Mexico, Guatemala

A damaged house is pictured in the San Marcos region, in the northwest of Guatemala, in this July 7, 2014 handout picture by Guatemala’s municipal fire department. A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck near the frontier, and much of the damage was reported in the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, where it downed power lines, opened cracks in buildings and triggered landslides which blocked roads. (REUTERS/Municipal fire department/Handout via Reuters)

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake on the Pacific Coast jolted a wide area of southern Mexico and Central America Monday, killing at least three people and damaging dozens of homes.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at 6:23 a.m. (7:23 a.m. EDT; 11:23 GMT) on the Pacific Coast 1 mile (2 kilometers) north-northeast of Puerto Madero, near the Guatemala border. It initially calculated the magnitude at 7.1 but later lowered the figure to 6.9. (AP)

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Municipal firefighters stand outside a damaged building in the San Marcos region, in the northwest of Guatemala, in this July 7, 2014 handout picture by Guatemala’s municipal fire department. A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck near the frontier, and much of the damage was reported in the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, where it downed power lines, opened cracks in buildings and triggered landslides which blocked roads. (REUTERS/Municipal fire department/Handout via Reuters)

In this photo released by Bomberos Departamentales, or regional firefighters, firefighters check a home that collapsed during an earthquake in San Pedro, Guatemala, Monday, July 7, 2014. A magnitude-6.9 earthquake on the Pacific Coast jolted a wide area of southern Mexico and Central America Monday. (AP Photo/Bomberos Departamentales)

Emergency workers on the scene of the earthquake damage in Guatemala. (BMunicipalesDeptales via Twitter @CBMDEPTAL)

Residents clean up debris at a restaurant damaged by an earthquake in the town of Huixtla, Mexican state of Chiapas July 7, 2014. A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck near the frontier, and much of the damage was reported in the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, where it downed power lines, opened cracks in buildings and triggered landslides which blocked roads. (REUTERS/Juan Manuel Blanco)

A crack on the floor is seen after an earthquake in the town of Huixtla, Mexican state of Chiapas July 7, 2014. A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck near the frontier, and much of the damage was reported in the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, where it downed power lines, opened cracks in buildings and triggered landslides which blocked roads. (REUTERS/Juan Manuel Blanco)

Residents stand next a building damaged by an earthquake in the town of Huixtla, Mexican state of Chiapas July 7, 2014. A strong earthquake shook the Guatemalan border with Mexico on Monday, killing at least four people, damaging dozens of buildings and triggering landslides. The 6.9 magnitude quake struck near the frontier, and much of the damage was reported in the Guatemalan border region of San Marcos, where it downed power lines, opened cracks in buildings and triggered landslides which blocked roads. (REUTERS/Juan Manuel Blanco)

A 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Mexico

A parked car suffered damage when a adobe wall collapsed on it after a strong earthquake shook Chilpancingo, Mexico, Friday morning, April 18, 2014. A powerful magnitude-7.2 earthquake shook central and southern Mexico but there were no early reports of major damage or casualties. (AP Photo/Alejandrino Gonzalez).

A strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck 170 miles (273 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City at about 9:30 a.m. (10:30 a.m. EDT; 1430 GMT) on Friday shaking central and southern Mexico .

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake was centered 22 miles (36 kilometers) northwest of the town of Tecpan de Galeana, and was 15 miles (24 kilometers) deep.

There were reports of cracked walls, fallen fences and walls, fallen trees, broken windows and a power outage but there were no reports of major damage or casualties.

USGS seismologist Gavin Hayes said that the earthquake occurred along a section of the Pacific Coast known as the Guerrero Seismic Gap, a 125-mile (200-kilometer) section where tectonic plates meet and have been locked, meaning huge amounts of energy are being stored up with potentially devastating effects.

A damaged abandoned home is seen at the Juarez neighborhood after a strong earthquake jolted Mexico City, Friday, April 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

A damaged abandoned house is seen at the Juarez neighborhood after a strong earthquake jolted Mexico City, Friday, April 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo).

Earthquake Hit China’s Sichuan, Killing At least 71

A view of a collapsed building with a sign reading, “Lushan Kindergarden” after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province is seen in this April 20, 2013 still image taken from TV. The earthquake hit the province on Saturday, killing at least 28 people and injuring at least 100 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/China Central Television (CCTV) via REUTERS TV

China’s Sichuan province was hit by an earthquake on Saturday morning April 20, 2013.

The official Xinhua news agency reported that at least 71 people were killed while more than 2200 others were injured.

The earthquake occurred at 8.02 a.m. (0002 GMT) in Lushan county near Ya’an city and the epicenter had a depth of 12 km (7.5 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

China’s seismological bureau measured the earthquake at magnitude-7 while the U.S. Geological Survey at 6.6.

It was reported that nearly all of the structures in Longmen village collapsed and that nearly 10,000 houses were damaged throughout the county.

Water and electricity were cut off in Lushan.

The shallow depth of the earthquake caused greater damages to the area.

Hard-hit parts of the county remained unreachable by road, with several highways cut off.

On May 12, 2008, a devastating 7.9-magnitude quake struck the nearby area leaving more than 90,000 people dead or missing and presumed dead.

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Residents, pictured through a car window, drive past collapsed buildings near Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province, April 20, 2013. A strong 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province on Saturday, killing at least 56 people and injuring about 600 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/Stringer

REFILE – CORRECTING COUNTY Collapsed houses are seen after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province April 20, 2013. The earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province on Saturday, killing at least 56 people and injuring about 600 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/Stringer

Rescuers try to remove rocks blocking a road after a strong earthquake of 6.6 magnitude hit Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province April 20, 2013. The earthquake killed at least 56 people and injured about 600 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/Stringer

An aerial view shows houses damaged after a strong earthquake in Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province, April 20, 2013. At least fifty-six people were killed and more than 500 others injured in the earthquake, according to Xinhua News Agency. REUTERS/China Daily

An aerial view shows houses damaged after a strong earthquake in Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province, April 20, 2013. At least fifty-six people were killed and more than 500 others injured in the earthquake, according to Xinhua News Agency. REUTERS/China Daily

An aerial view shows houses damaged after a strong earthquake in Lushan county, Ya’an, Sichuan province, April 20, 2013. At least fifty-six people were killed and more than 500 others injured in the earthquake, according to Xinhua News Agency. REUTERS/China Daily

People walk on rubble after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province in this April 20, 2013 still image taken from TV. The earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province on Saturday, killing at least 28 people and injuring at least 100 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/China Central Television (CCTV) via REUTERS TV

A view of a collapsed building with a sign reading, “Lushan Kindergarden” after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit southwestern China’s Sichuan province is seen in this April 20, 2013 still image taken from TV. The earthquake hit the province on Saturday, killing at least 28 people and injuring at least 100 close to where a big quake killed almost 70,000 people in 2008. REUTERS/China Central Television (CCTV) via REUTERS TV

In this photo provided by China’s official Xinhua News Agency, a giant rock blocks the road, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) from the county seat of Lushan in Ya’an city, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Saturday, April 20, 2013. A powerful earthquake jolted China’s Sichuan province Saturday near where a devastating quake struck five years ago. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Hai Mingwei)

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