An 8.1 magnitude earthquake has been detected off the coast of southern Mexico.

The massive tremor hit in the Pacific Ocean near the border of Mexico and Guatemala.

The aftershock was felt as far away as Mexico City.

People said the shock lasted as long as 90 seconds and caused office workers to flee their buildings.

The quake hit around 70 miles from the west coast of Mexico, near Tres Picos in the state of Chiapas.

Widespread, hazardous tsunami waves are possible within the next three hours, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

The Warning Center later said the tsunami waves are expected to be between 1 and 3 metres high.

Mexico's civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a devastating 1985 tremor that toppled buildings and killed thousands.

People in Mexico City ran out into the streets in pyjamas and alarms sounded after the quake struck just before midnight.

Power went out in some neighbourhoods.

"I had never been anywhere where the earth moved so much. At first I laughed, but when the lights went out I didn't know what to do. I nearly fell over," said Luis Carlos Briceno, an architect, 31, who was visiting Mexico City. </s> The US National Weather Service has issued a tsunami warning of waves as high as three metres on the Pacific coast of Mexico after a massive earthquake struck off the coast.

The huge earthquake, of a preliminary magnitude measured at 8.1, struck 87km southwest of the town of Pijijiapan, on the southern Mexican coast, at 4:49 GMT, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The Cook Islands, Ecuador, French Polynesia, Guatemala and Kiribati are at risk of waves of up to one metre, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said.

Larger waves than normal could reach as far as Australia, Hawaii, China and Japan, the PTWC said. There was no warning applying to the US coast at the time of writing.

Multiple aftershocks shook the region after the massive earthquake, according to the USGS.

This breaking news story is being updated as more information emerges - please refresh the page for the most recent version.

To keep on top of the biggest news stories as they happen, follow @CityAM on Twitter. You can also sign up for our newsletter alerts for updates throughout the day. </s> MEXICO CITY (AP) — A massive magnitude-8 earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico late Thursday night, causing buildings to sway violently and people to flee into the street in panic as far away as the capital city.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.0 and its epicenter was 102 miles west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 22 miles.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said the earthquake was a potential tsunami threat to several Central American countries, including the Pacific coastlines of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica. It said the threat was still being evaluated for Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific islands.

Even in distant Mexico City the quake was felt so strongly that frightened residents gathered in the streets in the dark, often in their pajamas, fearing that buildings would collapse.

This article will be updated as information warrants, and follow KPIX 5 on Twitter at @CBSSF or KCBS Radio on Twitter at @KCBSNews for updates on breaking news anytime.

Strong earthquakes with an epicenter off the coast can trigger tsunamis, depending on the size and type of the fault movement. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center tracks earthquake data for the West Coast.

 WEST COAST TSUNAMI TRACKING:

 

 Tsunami Alerts & Maps

© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed </s> A major earthquake off Mexico’s southern coast has killed at least five people, sparking tsunami warnings. Further dangerous aftershocks are also expected.

The US Geological Survey reported the earthquake’s magnitude as 8.1, making it the biggest earthquake in Mexico since 1932.

The USGS said the quake struck at 11.49pm local time on Thursday and its epicentre was 165 kilometres west of Tapachula in Chiapas, not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 69.7 kilometres.

The quake was so strong that it caused buildings to sway violently in Mexico’s capital, more than 1,000 kilometres away. Houses toppled and the quake produced tsunami waves and sent people running into the streets in panic. President Enrique Pena Nieto said 62 aftershocks followed the quake and it was possible one as strong as 7.2 could hit in the next 24 hours.

“The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily,” said resident Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas.

Chiapas Governor Manuel Velasco said three people were killed in San Cristobal, including two women who died when a house and a wall collapsed. He urged people living near the coast to leave their homes as a protective measure.

“There is damage to hospitals that have lost energy,” he said. “Homes, schools and hospitals have been damaged.”

Tabasco Governor Arturo Nunez said two children died in his state. One was killed when a wall collapsed, and the other was a baby who died in a children’s hospital which lost electricity, cutting off the infant’s ventilator.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said waves of 1m above the tide level were measured off Salina Cruz, Mexico. Smaller tsunami waves were observed on the coast or measured by ocean gauges in several other places.

Chiapas Civil Defence said on its Twitter account that its personnel were in the streets aiding people and warned residents to prepare for aftershocks.

Lucy Jones, a seismologist in California who works with the US Geological Survey, said such a quake was to be expected.

“Off the west coast of Mexico is what’s called the subduction zone, the Pacific Plate is moving under the Mexican peninsula,” she said. “It’s a very flat fault, so it’s a place that has big earthquakes relatively often because of that.

“There’s likely to be a small tsunami going to the south-west. It’s not going to be coming up and affecting California or Hawaii. For tsunami generation, an 8 is relatively small.” </s> (NBC News) The most powerful earthquake to hit Mexico in a century struck off the country’s southern coast early Friday, killing at least six people and prompting warnings it could trigger tsunami waves up to 10 feet high.

The quake just before 10 p.m. PT was stronger than the 1985 tremor that killed more than 5,000 people in Mexico City, according to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto.

However, with an epicenter 40 miles off the coast and some 460 miles from the capital itself, early indications suggested the damage was far more limited.

At least six people were killed, including three children, according to authorities.

The president said there had been at least 62 aftershocks and warned one as strong as 7.2 could hit in the next 24 hours.

Some 1 million homes and businesses initially had been without power, according to Peña Nieto, but he added electricity had been restored to 800,000 of them.

In Chiapas, the state closest to the offshore epicenter, there were reports some buildings had been badly damaged. Chiapas Gov. Manuel Velasco Coello said on Facebook that around 1,000 army troops were helping with the rescue and recovery effort.

Four people were killed in the state including one child, and Coello urged several towns to evacuate their homes due to the threat from possible tsunami waves.

Two children also died in neighboring Tabasco state, one after a wall collapsed and the other a baby who died after a hospital lost electricity, the state’s Gov. Arturo Nunez said.

In Mexico City, buildings wobbled and sent residents fleeing into the streets in their pajamas.

“I felt the shaking and knew it was an earthquake,” said Mark Van Eps, a 39-year-old musician from Los Angeles who was vacationing in Mexico City. “There was an earthquake alarm shortly after that.”

“The street and buildings started swaying considerably,” said Harry Neville-Towle, a 30-year-old art director visiting from Sydney, Australia. “All the cars started pulling over and people started coming out of their houses … People were afraid to go back inside for at least an hour, as we were all unsure of whether their might be an aftershock.”

Classes were canceled in Mexico City and several other states so that officials could check that buildings were structurally sound, the president said on Twitter.

Small tsunami waves of 3.3 feet washed ashore the city of Salina Cruz and others of 2.3 feet were measured at the resort town of Huatulco, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The government agency warned that waves of up to 10 feet could hit other parts of the country.

“We are waiting for a while to see if this is going to happen or not,” Interior Secretary Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong told Mexican broadcaster Televisa.

Small waves could also hit neighboring Central American countries but no tsunami was expected in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, British Columbia or Alaska, according to the Tsunami Warning Center.

The U.S. Geological Survey initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 8.1 The Mexican Seismological Agency rated it at magnitude 8.4.

In neighboring Guatamala, President Jimmy Morales said there had been some damage an unconfirmed reports that one person had died, according to the AP.

Meanwhile, Mexico was bracing for another natural emergency on the other side of the country.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Katia was likely to strike the Gulf coast in the state of Veracruz early Saturday as a Category 2 storm that could bring life-threatening floods.

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 Note: By commenting below you agree to abide by the KOBI5.com commenting guidelines. View the KOBI5.com Comment Board Guidelines » </s> MEXICO CITY — A powerful 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico late Thursday night, killing at least five people and setting off tsunami warnings along the Pacific coast.

The epicentre of the quake was off the coast of Chiapas, a state in southern Mexico, but the rumblings rocked the Mexican capital more than 600 miles away, causing electricity failures, and reports of sporadic damage. Many Mexicans were roused from bed by the quake and evacuated their shuddering apartment buildings in pyjamas and stocking feet.

The Mexican government ordered schools closed in the capital on Friday so that school infrastructure could be inspected after the quake.

Three people died in San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas state, including two women when their building collapsed, Gov. Manuel Velasco told Milenio TV, adding that the quake also damaged hospitals and schools.

Photos showed collapsed ceilings, flattened concrete buildings, and rubble from damage in southern cities such as Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Tonala.

Two children died in neighbouring Tabasco state, including an infant who perished when hospital electricity failed and the ventilator turned off, said Gov. Arturo Nunez.

Mexican authorities alerted the coastal states of Oaxaca and Chiapas of the possibility of destructive waves of higher than 13 feet. So far, though the Pacific Tsunami warning centre had only reported waves of about three feet off the coast of Mexico.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said hazardous tsunami waves were possible on the Pacific coasts of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras within three hours. There was no tsunami threat for the West Coast of the United States, but the warning system said waves could reach as far as Ecuador.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said on Twitter that authorities have been instructed to meet immediately to evaluate the situation and respond to the quake.

Mexico City is one of the more earthquake-conscious capitals in the world, after a devastating 1985 earthquake caused widespread damage to the city and killed thousands. Many of the more modern buildings have been built to withstand severe tremors. In the seconds before the earthquake started late Thursday, earthquake warning sirens had blared throughout the capital. </s> A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas state, causing to sway buildings violently as far away as possible. A man sits in his wheelchair backdropped by a building damaged by the quake in Juchitan, Oaxaca state in Mexico. AP A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas

Mexico’s civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a devastating 1985 tremor that toppled buildings and killed thousands. Soldiers remove debris from a partially collapsed municipal building felled by a massive quake. AP Mexico’s civil protection agency said it was the strongest earthquake to hit the country since a dev

It is estimated that 50 million of Mexico's 120 million people felt the quake including Guatemala, which borders Chiapas. Mexican officials ordered schools to remain closed in 11 states so they could inspect the structural damage. Residents stand in front of rubble from a partially collapsed building. AP It is estimated that 50 million of Mexico's 120 million people felt the quake including Guatemala, w

The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City more than 1,000 kilometers (650 miles) away fled apartment buildings, often in their pajamas, and gathered in groups in the street. A woman points to the damage in her home caused by the earthquake, in Juchitan. AP The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City more than 1,000 kilometers (650 m

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had originally said a tsunami of more than three meters (10 feet) was possible. The quake caused rough seas but no tsunami occurred. Mexico sits atop five tectonic plates, whose movement makes it one of the most seismically active countries in the world. AP The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had originally said a tsunami of more than three meters (10 feet) </s> A massive 8.1-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of southern Mexico, toppling houses in Chiapas state, causing buildings to sway violently as far away as the country's distant capital city and triggering a tsunami warning.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 11.49pm local time on Thursday and its epicentre was 102 miles (165km) west of Tapachula in southern Chiapas state, not far from Guatemala. It had a depth of 22 miles (35km).

The US Tsunami Warning System said hazardous tsunami waves were possible on the Pacific coasts of several Central American countries, including Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras, within three hours.

There was no tsunami threat for the US West Coast, but the warning system said waves could reach Mexico and as far as Ecuador.

"The house moved like chewing gum and the light and internet went out momentarily," said Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, a poor largely indigenous state popular with tourists.

Chiapas Civil Defence said on its Twitter account that its staff were in the streets aiding people and warned residents to prepare for aftershocks. But it made no immediate comment about damage.

The quake was so powerful that frightened residents in Mexico City, more than 650 miles (1,000km) away, fled apartment buildings, often in their pyjamas, and gathered in groups in the street.

Buildings swayed strongly for more than one minute, loosening light fixtures from ceilings.

Helicopters crisscrossed the sky above Mexico City with spotlights. Some neighbourhoods kept electricity while others remained in darkness.

In neighbouring Guatemala, President Jimmy Morales spoke on national television to call for calm while emergency crews checked for damage.

Local radio in the Central American country reported one death, but it could not be confirmed.

"We have reports of some damage and the death of one person, even though we still don't have exact details," Mr Morales said.

He said the possible death occurred in San Marcos state near the border with Mexico. </s> HONDURAS – A magnitude 7.6 earthquake registered in the Caribbean Tuesday evening, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The epicenter was located 27 miles off the northern coast of Honduras. The powerful quake was initially measured at 7.8, but later revised.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves were possible for several countries in the Caribbean and Central America, as well as Mexico.

“Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meters above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Belize, Cuba, Honduras, Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Jamaica,” the agency said.

A tsunami advisory is in effect for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and there is a potential threat to the Cayman Islands, Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, Jamaica and Costa Rica, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.

A tsunami advisory signals a threat to those in or near water, as strong currents and waves could be dangerous. A threat means there is the potential for coastal flooding or strong currents.
Tsunami waves are reported in Mexico from the earthquake late yesterday with the biggest wave measuring 2.3 feet (0.70 m).