47 killed as 7.1 magnitude quake rocks Mexico (Lead)

Mexico City Sep 20 (IANS) At least 47 people were killed in a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Mexico on Tuesday.

As many as 42 people were killed in the state of Morelos Governor Graco Ramirez said on Twitter while the Governor of Mexico State Alfredo del Mazo said five persons were killed in his state Xinhua news agency reported.

Authorities in the capital Mexico City have yet to report the number of casualties.

The first National Seismological Service (SSN) report noted that the tremor on Tuesday occurred 12 km southeast of the municipality of Axochiapan.

In Mexico City residents immediately came out of the buildings due to the intensity of the earthquake.

An earlier report of the US Geological Survey said that an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale jolted 5 km ENE of Raboso Mexico on Tuesday.

The epicentre with a depth of 51.01 km was initially determined to be at 18.5838 degrees north latitude and 98.3993 degrees west longitude.

--IANS
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