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Mexico shaken by several quakes

by Reuters
Wednesday, 2 May 2012 00:34 GMT

Reuters

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(Recasts with details of other earthquakes)

MEXICO CITY, May 1 (Reuters) - Several earthquakes rattled Mexico on Tuesday, but there were no reports of injuries or damage as the country celebrated a national holiday.

The first quake shook near the northwest, off the coast of Baja California, just before 9 a.m. local time and there were no reports of damage.

That quake registered a 5.0 magnitude at a depth of 6 miles (10 km), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The second tremor, in the central state of Michoacan, struck before noon and shook Mexico City, although the epicenter was more than 100 miles (160 km) away.

Traffic and street life in the capital continued as normal just moments after the tremor, witnesses said.

"I've lived through plenty of earthquakes. But I didn't feel that one," said Elias Munoz, 70, who runs a kiosk in Mexico City's central Roma neighborhood.

The USGS said the quake that hit Michoacan had a magnitude of 5.7 and was recorded at a depth of 56 miles (90 km). The magnitude was revised from 5.5

The epicenter was 128 miles (207 km) southwest of the Mexican capital. Fausto Vallejo, governor of Michoacan, said on his Twitter account there were no reports of damage in the state.

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard tweeted there were no reports of damage there.

The third quake, a magnitude 6.3, struck off the coast of southwest Mexico near the Guatemalan border, said the USGS.

The quake hit 51 miles (82 km) west-southwest of Suchiate, Chiapas, at a depth of 27 miles (36 km), the USGS said.

An official with the Chiapas public safety office said there were no reports of injuries or damage after the tremor.

Mexico has felt several strong earthquakes in recent weeks, including a 7.4 magnitude tremor in late March, none causing serious damage. (Reporting By Patrick Rucker and Veronica Gomez Sparrowe; Editing by Peter Cooney)

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