A major earthquake off Mexico's southern coast killed at least five people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses and at least one hotel toppled, electricity was cut and people fled into the streets in panic.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake's magnitude as 8.1 and said it was centered off of Chiapas state near the Guatemalan border. But President Enrique Pena Nieto quoted local calculations it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years — even larger than the magnitude 8.1 quake in 1985, which killed thousands and devastated large sections of Mexico City.

Officials said at least five people died, but the death toll could rise as authorities assess the damage. The government closed schools Friday in at least 11 states to check them for safety.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded at least 20 aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 or greater within about five hours after the main shake, and the president warned that a major aftershock as large as magnitude 7.2 could occur.

Pena Nieto said that serious damage had been caused and that 1 million customers initially had been without power following the quake, but that electricity had been restored to 800,000 of them.

The USGS said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 1o2 miles (165 kilometers) west of Tapachula in Chiapas. It had a depth of 69.7 kilometers (43.3 miles).

The quake caused buildings to sway violently in Mexico's capital more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away. Residents fled buildings, many in their pajamas, and gathered in frightened groups in the street. Some neighborhoods remained in darkness after electricity was knocked out.

"The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily," said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in the southernmost state of Chiapas.

Chiapas Gov. Manuel Velasco said that three people were killed in San Cristobal, including two women who died when a house and a wall collapsed. He called on people living near the coast to leave their houses as a protective measure.

"There is damage to hospitals that have lost energy," he said. "Homes, schools and hospitals have been damaged."

Tabasco Gov. Arturo Nunez said two children had died in his Gulf coast state. One of them was killed when a wall collapsed, and the other was a baby who died in a children's hospital that lost electricity, cutting off the infant's ventilator.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of one meter (3.3 feet) above the tide level were measured off Salina Cruz, Mexico. Smaller tsunami waves were observed on the coast or measured by ocean gauges in several other places. The center's forecast said Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala could see waves of a meter or less. No threat was posed to Hawaii and the western and South Pacific.

Mexican authorities said they were evacuating some residents of coastal Puerto Madero because of the warning.

Meanwhile, Mexico was bracing for another natural emergency on the other side of the country. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Katia was likely to strike the Gulf coast in the state of Veracruz early Saturday as a Category 2 storm that could bring life-threatening floods.

In neighboring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage.

"We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don't have details," Morales said. He said the unconfirmed death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico.

Lucy Jones, a seismologist in California who works with the U.S. Geological Survey, said such s quake was to be expected.

"Off the west coast of Mexico is what's called the subduction zone, the Pacific Plate is moving under the Mexican peninsula," she said. "It's a very flat fault, so it's a place that has big earthquakes relatively often because of that."

"There's likely to be a small tsunami going to the southwest. It's not going to be coming up and affecting California or Hawaii," she said. "For tsunami generation, an 8 is relatively small."</s>MEXICO CITY (AP) - A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas state, causing buildings to sway violently as far away as the country's distant capital city and setting off a tsunami warning.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 165 kilometers (102 miles) west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles).

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said hazardous tsunami waves were possible on the Pacific coasts of several Central American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras, within three hours. There was no tsunami threat for the U.S. West Coast, but the warning system said waves could reach Mexico and as far as Ecuador.

"The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily," said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, a poor largely indigenous state popular with tourists.

Civil Defense in Chiapas said on its Twitter account that its personnel were in the streets aiding people and warned residents to prepare for aftershocks. But it made no immediate comment about damage.

The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away fled apartment buildings, often in their pajamas, and gathered in groups in the street.

Buildings swayed strongly for more than one minute, loosening light fixtures from ceilings. Helicopters crisscrossed the sky above Mexico City with spotlights. Some neighborhoods kept electricity while others remained in darkness.

In neighboring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage. Local radio in the Central American country reported one death, but it could not be confirmed.

"We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don't have exact details," Morales said. He said the possible death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico.

People who evacuated from bars stand in the street in La Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, after an earthquake shook buildings forcefully and knocked out power in the area, just after midnight on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. A massive 8-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico late Thursday night, causing buildings to sway violently and people to flee into the street in panic as far away as the capital city.(AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

People who evacuated from bars check their phones in the street in La Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, after an earthquake shook buildings forcefully and knocked out power in the area, just before midnight on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. A massive earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico late Thursday night, causing buildings to sway violently and people to flee into o the streets in panic as far away as the capital city. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

People who evacuated from bars check their phones in the street in La Roma neighborhood of Mexico City, after an earthquake shook buildings forcefully and knocked out power in the area, just before midnight on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. A massive earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico late Thursday night, causing buildings to sway violently and people to flee into o the streets in panic as far away as the capital city. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)</s>A major earthquake off Mexico's southern coast killed at least five people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses and at least one hotel toppled, electricity was cut and people fled into the streets in panic.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake's magnitude as 8.1 and said it was centered off of Chiapas state near the Guatemalan border. But President Enrique Pena Nieto quoted local calculations it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years — even larger than the magnitude 8.1 quake in 1985, which killed thousands and devastated large sections of Mexico City.

Officials said at least five people died, but the death toll could rise as authorities assess the damage. The government closed schools Friday in at least 11 states to check them for safety.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded at least 20 aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 or greater within about five hours after the main shake, and the president warned that a major aftershock as large as magnitude 7.2 could occur.

Pena Nieto said that serious damage had been caused and that 1 million customers initially had been without power following the quake, but that electricity had been restored to 800,000 of them.

The USGS said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 102 miles west of Tapachula in Chiapas. It had a depth of 43 miles.

The quake caused buildings to sway violently in Mexico's capital more than 650 miles away. Residents fled buildings, many in their pajamas, and gathered in frightened groups in the street. Some neighborhoods remained in darkness after electricity was knocked out.

"The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily," said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in the southernmost state of Chiapas.

Chiapas Gov. Manuel Velasco said that three people were killed in San Cristobal, including two women who died when a house and a wall collapsed. He called on people living near the coast to leave their houses as a protective measure.

"There is damage to hospitals that have lost energy," he said. "Homes, schools and hospitals have been damaged."

Tabasco Gov. Arturo Nunez said two children had died in his Gulf coast state. One of them was killed when a wall collapsed, and the other was a baby who died in a children's hospital that lost electricity, cutting off the infant's ventilator.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of 3.3 feet above the tide level were measured off Salina Cruz, Mexico. Smaller tsunami waves were observed on the coast or measured by ocean gauges in several other places. The center's forecast said Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala could see waves of a meter or less. No threat was posed to Hawaii and the western and South Pacific.

Mexican authorities said they were evacuating some residents of coastal Puerto Madero because of the warning.

Meanwhile, Mexico was bracing for another natural emergency on the other side of the country. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Katia was likely to strike the Gulf coast in the state of Veracruz early Saturday as a Category 2 storm that could bring life-threatening floods.

In neighboring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage.

"We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don't have details," Morales said. He said the unconfirmed death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico.

The quake occurred in a very seismically active region near the point of collision between three tectonic plates, the Cocos, the Caribbean and the North American.

Mexico's National Seismological Service said the area has seen at least six other quakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater since 1900 — though three of those all occurred within a nerve-wracking nine-month span in 1902-1903.

Frank Griffiths in London contributed to this report</s>JUCHITAN, Mexico: At least 58 people died when the most powerful earthquake to hit Mexico in over eight decades tore through buildings, forced mass evacuations and triggered alerts as far away as Southeast Asia, with most fatalities in the picturesque state of Oaxaca.

The 8.1 magnitude quake off the southern coast late Thursday was stronger than a devastating 1985 temblor that flattened swathes of Mexico City and killed thousands.

This time damage to the city was limited as the quake was deeper and further from the capital.

"It almost knocked me over," said Gildardo Arenas Rios, a 64-year-old security guard in Mexico City's Juarez neighborhood, who was making his rounds when buildings began moving.

The southern town of Juchitan in Oaxaca state on Mexico's narrowest point and near the epicenter, was hit particularly hard, with sections of the town hall, a hotel, a bar and other buildings reduced to rubble.

"The situation is Juchitan is critical; this is the most terrible moment in its history," said mayor Gloria Sanchez after the long, rumbling quake that also shook Guatemala and El Salvador nearby to the south.

Shocked residents stepped through the rubble of about 100 collapsed buildings including houses, a flattened Volkswagen dealership and Juchitan's battered town hall.

"Look at what it did to my house," said Maria Magdalena Lopez, in tears outside its shattered walls. "It was horrifying, it fell down."

Alma Rosa, sitting in vigil with a relative by the body of a loved one draped in a red shroud, said: "We went to buy a coffin, but there aren't any because there are so many bodies."

All the deaths were in three neighboring states clustered round the epicenter. In Oaxaca, 45 people died, in Chiapas 10 and in Tabasco three people lost their lives, said the head of Mexico's civil protection agency head, Luis Felipe Puentes.

Chiapas' Governor Manuel Velasco said 12 had died in Chiapas, which would bring the total to 60.

In Chiapas, home to many of Mexico's indigenous ethnic groups, thousands of people in coastal areas were evacuated as a precaution when the quake sparked tsunami warnings.

Waves rose as high as 2.3 ft (0.7 m) in Mexico, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, though that threat passed.

State oil company Pemex said it was checking its installations for damage and closed the Salina Cruz refinery in the same region as the epicenter as a precautionary measure. It began to restart the 330,000 bpd refinery on Friday afternoon.

At least 250 people in Oaxaca were also injured, according to agriculture minister Jose Calzada.

Classes were suspended in much of central and southern Mexico on Friday to allow authorities to assess damage.

People ran into the streets in Mexico City, one of the world's largest cities with an estimated population of more than 20 million, and alarms sounded after the quake struck just before midnight.

In one central neighborhood, dozens stood outside, some wrapped in blankets against the cool night air. Children were crying.

Liliana Villa, 35, who was in her apartment when the quake struck, fled in her nightclothes.

"It felt horrible, and I thought, 'this (building) is going to fall,'" she said.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake's epicenter was in the Pacific, 54 miles (87 km) southwest of the town of Pijijiapan at a depth of 43 miles (69 km).

John Bellini, a geophysicist at the USGS National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colorado, said Thursday's quake was the strongest in Mexico since an 8.1 temblor struck the western state of Jalisco in 1932.

Across the Pacific, the national disaster agency of the Philippines put the country's eastern seaboard on alert for possible tsunamis, although no evacuations were ordered.

Rescue workers searched through the night for anyone trapped in collapsed buildings but by early Friday the toll appeared to be less severe than that seen in many far less powerful tremors.

Windows were shattered at Mexico City airport and power went out in several neighborhoods of the capital, affecting more than one million people. The cornice of a hotel came down in the southern tourist city of Oaxaca, a witness said.

Helicopters buzzed overhead looking for damage to the city, which is built on a spongy, drained lake bed that amplifies earthquakes along the volcanic country's multiple seismic fault-lines, even when they occur hundreds of miles away.

The 1985 earthquake was by the coast, about 200 miles from Mexico City. Thursday's quake was 470 miles from the city.

Authorities reported dozens of aftershocks, and President Pena Nieto said the quake was felt by around 50 million of Mexico's roughly 120 million population, with further aftershocks likely. He advised people to check their homes and offices for damage and gas leaks.

Mexico is evaluating whether the quake will trigger a payout from a World Bank-backed catastrophe bond, Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade said on Friday. Meade said the bond's coverage could reach US$150 million, depending on magnitude and location.

But he said Mexico has sufficient funds to pay for a clean-up whether the bond was triggered or not.</s>A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas state, causing to sway buildings violently as far away as possible. A man sits in his wheelchair backdropped by a building damaged by the quake in Juchitan, Oaxaca state in Mexico. AP A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas

Mexico’s civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a devastating 1985 tremor that toppled buildings and killed thousands. Soldiers remove debris from a partially collapsed municipal building felled by a massive quake. AP Mexico’s civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a dev

It is estimated that 50 million of Mexico's 120 million people felt the quake including Guatemala, which borders Chiapas. Mexican officials ordered schools to remain closed in 11 states so they could inspect the structural damage. Residents stand in front of rubble from a partially collapsed building. AP It is estimated that 50 million of Mexico's 120 million people felt the quake including Guatemala, w

The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away fled apartment buildings, often in their pajamas, and gathered in groups in the street. A woman points to the damage in her home caused by the earthquake, in Juchitan. AP The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City more than 1,000 kilometers (650 m

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had originally said a tsunami of more than three meters (10 feet) was possible. The quake caused rough seas but no tsunami occurred. Mexico sits atop five tectonic plates, whose movement makes it one of the most seismically active countries in the world. AP The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had originally said a tsunami of more than three meters (10 feet)</s>MEXICO CITY (AP) — A massive magnitude-8 earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico late Thursday night, causing buildings to sway violently and people to flee into the street in panic as far away as the capital city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.0 and its epicenter was 102 miles west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 22 miles.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said the earthquake was a potential tsunami threat to several Central American countries, including the Pacific coastlines of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica. It said the threat was still being evaluated for Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific islands.

Even in distant Mexico City the quake was felt so strongly that frightened residents gathered in the streets in the dark, often in their pajamas, fearing that buildings would collapse.

This article will be updated as information warrants, and follow KPIX 5 on Twitter at @CBSSF or KCBS Radio on Twitter at @KCBSNews for updates on breaking news anytime.

Strong earthquakes with an epicenter off the coast can trigger tsunamis, depending on the size and type of the fault movement. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center tracks earthquake data for the West Coast.

 WEST COAST TSUNAMI TRACKING:

 

 Tsunami Alerts & Maps

© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed</s>A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas state, causing buildings to sway violently as far away as the country's distant capital city and triggering a tsunami warning.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 11.49pm local time on Thursday and its epicentre was 102 miles (165km) west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state, not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 22 miles (35km).

The US Tsunami Warning System said hazardous tsunami waves were possible on the Pacific coasts of several Central American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras, within three hours.

There was no tsunami threat for the US West Coast, but the warning system said waves could reach Mexico and as far as Ecuador.

"The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily," said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, a poor largely indigenous state popular with tourists.

Chiapas Civil Defence said on its Twitter account that its staff were in the streets aiding people and warned residents to prepare for aftershocks. But it made no immediate comment about damage.

The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City, more than 650 miles (1,000km) away, fled apartment buildings, often in their pyjamas, and gathered in groups in the street.

Buildings swayed strongly for more than one minute, loosening light fixtures from ceilings.

Helicopters crisscrossed the sky above Mexico City with spotlights. Some neighbourhoods kept electricity while others remained in darkness.

In neighbouring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage.

Local radio in the Central American country reported one death, but it could not be confirmed.

"We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don't have exact details," Mr Morales said.

He said the possible death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico.</s>An 8.1 magnitude earthquake has been detected off the coast of southern Mexico.

The massive tremor hit in the Pacific Ocean near the border of Mexico and Guatemala.

The aftershock was felt as far away as Mexico City.

People said the shock lasted as long as 90 seconds and caused office workers to flee their buildings.

The quake hit around 70 miles from the west coast of Mexico, near Tres Picos in the state of Chiapas.

Widespread, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within the next three hours, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

The Warning Center later said the tsunami waves are expected to be between 1 and 3 metres high.

Mexico's civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a devastating 1985 tremor that toppled buildings and killed thousands.

People in Mexico City ran out into the streets in pyjamas and alarms sounded after the quake struck just before midnight.

Power went out in some neighbourhoods.

"I had never been anywhere where the earth moved so much. At first I laughed, but when the lights went out I didn't know what to do. I nearly fell over," said Luis Carlos Briceno, an architect, 31, who was visiting Mexico City.</s>MEXICO CITY (AP) — A major earthquake off Mexico’s southern coast killed at least five people, with the president saying Friday it was the biggest in a century to hit the country. Houses and at least one hotel toppled, electricity was cut and people fled into the streets in panic.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 8.1, but President Enrique Pena Nieto quoted local calculations it was 8.2, making it the largest in Mexico in 100 years — even larger than the magnitude 8.1 quake in 1985, which killed thousands and devastated large sections of Mexico City.

Officials said at least five people died, but the death toll could rise as authorities assess the damage. The government closed schools Friday in at least 11 states to check them for safety.

The U.S. Geological Survey recorded at least 20 aftershocks of magnitude 4.0 or greater within about five hours after the main shake, and the president warned that a major aftershock as large as magnitude 7.2 could occur.

Pena Nieto said that serious damage had been caused and that 1 million customers initially had been without power following the quake, but that electricity had been restored to 800,000 of them.

The USGS said the quake struck at 11:49 p.m. Thursday local time and its epicenter was 165 kilometers (102 miles) west of Tapachula in Chiapas, close to Guatemala. It had a depth of 69.7 kilometers (43.3 miles).

The quake caused buildings to sway violently in Mexico’s capital more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away. Residents fled buildings, many in their pajamas, and gathered in frightened groups in the street. Some neighborhoods remained in darkness after electricity was knocked out.

“The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily,” said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in the southernmost state of Chiapas.

Chiapas Gov. Manuel Velasco said that three people were killed in San Cristobal, including two women who died when a house and a wall collapsed. He called on people living near the coast to leave their houses as a protective measure.

“There is damage to hospitals that have lost energy,” he said. “Homes, schools and hospitals have been damaged.”

Tabasco Gov. Arturo Nunez said two children had died in his Gulf coast state. One of them was killed when a wall collapsed, and the other was a baby who died in a children’s hospital that lost electricity, cutting off the infant’s ventilator.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves of one meter (3.3 feet) above the tide level were measured off Salina Cruz, Mexico. Smaller tsunami waves were observed on the coast or measured by ocean gauges in several other places. The center’s forecast said Ecuador, El Salvador and Guatemala could see waves of a meter or less. No threat was posed to Hawaii and the western and South Pacific.

Mexican authorities said they were evacuating some residents of coastal Puerto Madero because of the warning.

Meanwhile, Mexico was bracing for another natural emergency on the other side of the country. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Katia was likely to strike the Gulf coast in the state of Veracruz early Saturday as a Category 2 storm that could bring life-threatening floods.

In neighboring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage.

“We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don’t have details,” Morales said. He said the unconfirmed death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico.

Lucy Jones, a seismologist in California who works with the U.S. Geological Survey, said such s quake was to be expected.

“Off the west coast of Mexico is what’s called the subduction zone, the Pacific Plate is moving under the Mexican peninsula,” she said. “It’s a very flat fault, so it’s a place that has big earthquakes relatively often because of that.”

“There’s likely to be a small tsunami going to the southwest. It’s not going to be coming up and affecting California or Hawaii,” she said. “For tsunami generation, an 8 is relatively small.”

Frank Griffiths in London contributed to this report.</s>The Church issued the following statement on the Mexico earthquake, which occurred Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.

"With the rest of the world, we are deeply concerned about the many natural disasters that have occurred around the globe in recent weeks," said Church spokesman Eric Hawkins. "Last night's earthquake in Mexico affected thousands of people, and we pray for their safety and wellbeing.

"Two missions of the Church were directly impacted (the Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez and Mexico Oaxaca Missions) and the quake was felt throughout a much larger region. We have confirmed that all missionaries are safe and well. The condition of other Church facilities and the earthquake's impact to other members are unknown at this time. We will provide additional information as it becomes available."
A magnitude 8.1 earthquake is recorded 96 kilometers (60 miles) south of Pijijiapan, Chiapas, Mexico. This is Mexico's strongest quake since the 8.0 earthquake that hit the Greater Mexico City area in 1985. At least 26 deaths have been recorded.