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7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Mexico, makes buildings sway in Capital

Hector Asutudillo, the governor of Guerrero state, informed the press that there had been no reports of casualties or significant damage in Acapulco.

7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes Mexico  makes buildings sway gcw
Author
Mexico City, First Published Sep 8, 2021, 9:36 AM IST

The National Seismological Service reported a 7.1-magnitude earthquake along the Pacific coast in Mexico on Tuesday, rattling buildings in the capital hundreds of kilometres distant.
According to the agency, the epicentre was located 11 kilometres (seven miles) southeast of the seaside town of Acapulco in Guerrero state, which increased its assessment of the tremor's severity.

The earthquake was felt intensely in sections of Mexico City, causing inhabitants and visitors to stream out of their houses and hotels into the streets. However, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum claimed that there were no early indications of significant damage in the city.

Hector Asutudillo, the governor of Guerrero state, informed the press that there had been no reports of casualties or significant damage in Acapulco. Mexico, which is bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific seas, is one of the most seismically active countries globally since it sits atop five tectonic plates, three of which are significant. An 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico City on September 19, 1985, killing over 10,000 people and destroying hundreds of structures. On the anniversary of that earthquake, in 2017, a 7.1 quake killed around 370 people, most of whom were in the capital.

Also Read | Mexico top court decriminalizes recreational use of cannabis

In other news, Mexico's Supreme Court decided Tuesday unanimously that punishing abortion is unconstitutional, invalidating certain sections of legislation from Coahuila, a border state with Texas, that made abortion a criminal crime.

The judgement affects only the northern border state for the time being. Still, according to court President Arturo Zaldivar, it creates "obligatory standards for all of the country's judges," requiring them to behave similarly in similar situations. Abortion is currently legal in most circumstances in just four states: Mexico City, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and Hidalgo. With a few exceptions, the other 28 states criminalise abortion.

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