September 30, 1999
Web posted at: 11:11 p.m. EDT (0311 GMT)

In this story: Victims killed by collapsing buildings Mexico City -- prepared for the worst Alarm system offers early warning RELATED STORIES, SITES

OAXACA, Mexico (CNN) -- The massive earthquake that rocked Mexico's Pacific coast Thursday, killing at least a dozen people and damaging hundreds of buildings, was the most powerful to shake the country in the last 14 years.

The U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado said the 7.5 magnitude temblor was centered between the Pacific resorts of Huatulco and Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state, some 280 miles (450 kilometers) south of Mexico City.

RESOURCES Major quakes in the last 20 years     MAGNITUDE GUIDE Below is an interactive guide to earthquake magnitude and severity: Magnitude: Less than 3.5 3.5 - 5.4 Under 6.0 6.1 - 6.9 7.0 - 7.9 8 or greater     MESSAGE BOARD Latin America in transition

That would make it the most powerful Mexican quake since two huge temblors killed 10,000 people in 1985.

The force and unusual length of Thursday's quake -- 42 seconds -- terrified people hundreds of miles from its epicenter. It was felt as far south as Guatemala and very strongly to the north in Mexico City.

The quake, which struck at 11:31 a.m. (1631 GMT), was almost as strong as the one which struck Taiwan on Sept. 21, killing 2,100 people. "It was very intense. There was panic because we haven't ever felt anything of this magnitude," said Norma Alquitra, Puerto Escondido spokesperson.

Fifteen buildings were damaged and one person was killed by falling debris in the city of 18,000 people.

Victims killed by collapsing buildings

Authorities reported at least nine people died elsewhere in the Oaxaca state, including Oaxaca city, the state capital, where two people were killed when a doorway collapsed on them. Four people were killed by collapsing buildings in outlying areas.

The Oaxaca governor's office reported 300 houses seriously damaged in the state and about 100 businesses damaged in Oaxaca city, most in the historical center.

Twenty people in Oaxaca were hospitalized after suffering quake-related injuries.

In most of the affected areas of the country, roofs crumbled, roads were damaged and electrical power was cut off. There were scattered reports of cracked buildings in Puebla and Veracruz states, as well as Mexico City.

Local news media reported two other deaths which they blamed on panic related to the quake: a Mexico City man died of a heart attack and an elderly woman in the eastern state of Veracruz died after she raced from her house, slipped in the street and injured her head.

Mexico City -- prepared for the worst

In Mexico City, where a 1985 earthquake killed at least 9,500 people, thousands fled their offices. Many watched from the streets as their buildings swayed for nearly a minute and a half after the earthquake ended.

"All the (emergency) helicopters were flying, but so far they have not found anything especially worrying," said President Ernesto Zedillo.

Shaken but relieved office workers returned to their buildings in Mexico City after the long, powerful shock wave sent them running into the streets.

Supervisors in charge of organizing evacuations and evaluating damage were also relieved when the tremor had passed. "We just checked the building and nothing happened. No windows were broken, it is structurally sound," said one man.

Mexico City escaped much of the devastation because the quake's epicenter was remote.

Alarm system offers early warning

"It is a long distance that the seismic waves have to travel before they reach Mexico City," said Robert Meli of the National Center for Disaster Prevention, "and that reduces the amplitude of the waves. It is very much reduced at this distance."

Authorities said had the temblor caused more buildings to fall, Mexicans are trained to act quickly in order to save lives.

Office workers are prepared -- organized into volunteer brigades that help facilitate rapid evacuations.

An alarm system equipped with sensors deep in the Pacific Ocean is designed to give a few seconds warning -- enough time to cut off the electrical power and stop subway trains before an earthquake actually strikes.

Mexico City Civil Defense officials said that while they were lucky this time, people still must be prepared to face the next one which might not be so tame.

Mexico City Bureau Chief Harris Whitbeck, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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