Death toll from magnitude-7.1 earthquake in Mexico rises to 230
The death toll from the magnitude-7.1 earthquake which struck southern Mexico on Tuesday has risen to 230. Dozens of buildings have collapsed across the country. Rescue workers have been working around the clock to search for people buried under the rubble. Meanwhile, at least 21 children and five adults were killed when the Enrique Rébsamen primary school collapsed in the capital Mexico City.
The US Geological Survey said the epicenter of the earthquake was near Atencingo in Puebla state, around 120km from Mexico City, with a depth of 51km. Mexico City suffered the highest number of deaths (100), followed by Morelos state (69) and Puebla state (43). Mexico is prone to earthquakes. Earlier this month, a magnitude-8.1 tremor struck, killing at least 90 people.
The death toll from the quake is expected to increase. In Mexico City, at least 44 buildings collapsed completely while thousands of others were damaged and unstable. At least 100 people were reported dead while 52 people were rescued alive from the rubble in the city. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has declared three days of national mourning to honor the earthquake victims.
At the Enrique Rébsamen primary school in Mexico City, 26 children and staff members were killed. So far, 11 people have been rescued while two children and an adult remain missing. Over 500 relief workers have launched a delicate operation to rescue a girl who was located alive beneath the rubble. The earthquake has affected 209 schools, causing severe damage to 15 of them.
