More than 240 people die in Mexico earthquake
In a 7.1 magnitude quake, dozens of buildings, including schools, collapsed. “We are very sad and we only pray to God that He delivers us”, says Christian worker in Mexico City.
Agencies · MEXICO CITY · 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 · 09:39 CET
Ten days after a quake killed 98 people in Mexico, another even bigger earthquake has killed at least 220 people.
The 7.1 magnitude tremor had its epicentre 120 kilometres from Mexico City, the capital.
In between ruins and shambles, it’s so beautiful to see how my people of Mexico can unite this way #FuerzaMexico pic.twitter.com/tsw65yqhkS
— cez (@N11Cesar) 20 de setembre de 2017
Video footage recorded by social media users show dozens of buildings destroyed, dust in the air, and hundreds of people trying to save lives of their neighbours.
The national military forces have also been deployed.
Authorities have confirmed that 32 children and four adults have died after a primary school collapsed. Other 200 schools have been affected, according to official sources. Other images showed teachers singing with children on the street trying to calm them after they escaped a building.
About 4 million people have no electricity.
“PLEASE PRAY FOR US”
“Please pray for us, that there will not be aftershocks”, a Christian worker of the Mexican evangelical student movement COMPA (IFES), said. She lives near to the primary school in which “many small children died and others are stuck … pray for the families”.
“We are very sad and we only pray to God that He delivers us”, she continued.
Another issue are “the bad people who are taking advantage of this tragedy to steal in the houses”.
After hours with no access to phone lines, she added, on Facebook: “The city is filled with panic, fear and pain”, but “Mexicans are showing much solidarity. Thank you for praying for Mexico City”.
FEAR ON THE STREETS AFTER THE QUAKE
The fact that the epicenter was very closed to the most populated city in Mexico, has filled the social media with live footage recorded with mobile phones. "My God, my God, my God", a witness cried as a building collapsed in front of her:
El momento en que uno de los edificios se derrumba a causa del terremoto que ha asolado México https://t.co/aZ4HjlzWd4 pic.twitter.com/Bre17B4lrr
— EL PAÍS (@el_pais) 19 de setembre de 2017
The earthquake happens on the 32nd anniversary of the 1985 quake that caused the death of 10'000 people.
Published in: Evangelical Focus - world - More than 240 people die in Mexico earthquake