A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook southern Mexico on Saturday and was felt in the capital, where seismic alarms sounded, residents ran into the streets and rescuers briefly stopped combing the rubble left by a 7.1 tremor on Tuesday.
The US Geological Survey said the new quake was relatively shallow and hit near Juchitan, about 11 miles (18km) south-south-east of Matias Romero in a tropical region of Oaxaca state that was hard hit by an 8.1 quake on 7 September.
The Saturday quake swayed buildings, prompting civil defense officials to temporarily suspend rescue operations in the rubble of buildings downed by Tuesday quake.
Already shaken by the two recent quakes that have killed at least 380 people, thousands of people ran out onto the streets again in Oaxaca and Mexico City, some in pajamas when the new tremor shortly before 8am.
“I heard the alarm and ran downstairs with my family,” said Sergio Cedillo, 49, who was watching rescuers’ efforts to find survivors from Tuesday’s quake when the alarm sounded.
No new damage was immediately reported but rescue efforts were suspended to allow authorities to see if the new tremors would put workers at risk, said Luis Felipe Puente, the head of Mexico’s civil protection agency.
Details later…