7.4-magnitude Earthquake Jolts Southern Mexico, Kills At Least Five

A major earthquake centered near the Pacific Coast in Oaxaca struck on Tuesday, taking the life of at least five people while causing serious injuries to some and damages even to Mexican buildings and infrastructures that were hundreds of miles away.

According to a report, the earthquake that had a magnitude of 7.4 on the Richter scale was felt by residents who fled their homes and offices in fears of falling victim to the seism.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey said that the quake struck at 10:29 AM local time and that the epicenter was located near the beach resort of Huatoco which is a town in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca.

While Mexico's national seismological service estimates that the earthquake was a magnitude 7.5, both agencies agree that it is quite normal for preliminary measurements to vary. Both agencies agree that there had been hundreds of aftershocks following the said quake.

Reportedly, these caused rocks to collapse in mountain roads in the region, blocking and cutting off isolated villages.

Oil company Petróleos Mexicanos, better known as Pemex, said that the quake took the life of one of its workers after falling from a refinery structure and that it also resulted in a fire in one of its facilities in the seaport city of Salina Cruz.

In another source, the coordinator for Mexico's National Civil Protection Service confirmed that the rest of the fatalities were located near the epicenter in Oaxaca which is known for its mountain ranges and indigenous peoples.

Alejandro Murat, the state's governor, accounted that among the dead were a 22-year old woman and a man. He added that the state's hospitals in Pochutla, Puerto Escondido, Pinotepa Nacional and other areas suffered damages afterward. He also confirmed that two among the affected hospitals had been tending to coronavirus patients.

Due to its strength, the earthquake prompted seismic sirens and was felt by its neighboring countries Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador -- all of which have also been hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Further, tsunami waves that were almost a meter high were observed in the pacific-facing Acapulco which worried the residents living the area. Other hazards secondary to the quake have also been reported such as landslides and rocks falling from road cliffs.

The said earthquake reminded the residents of two similarly powerful earthquakes that hit the country in 2017 with magnitudes 7.1 and 8.1, respectively. The USGS said that the earthquake on June 23 was "near the northern end of the aftershock distribution" of the 2017 event.