A magnitude 5,4 quake struck very close to the northern Mexican city of Mexicali in Baja California on Saturday morning, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there was no immediate report of any casualties or damage.
The USGS said the very shallow quake, only 7km deep, was centred 26km south-east of Mexicali, whose population is estimated at one million.
”The earthquake felt very strong,” Edith Cruz, from the Red Cross Hospital in Mexicali, said. ”So far we have only admitted three people with nervous breakdowns and with high blood pressure. We don’t have any further reports,” she added.
”It appears to be widely felt,” USGS geophysicist Randy Baldwin said, but added: ”I don’t really expect damage on this one from what people are reporting.” — Reuters