Bangkok: The earthquake caused a monument in the Mexico City capital to sway back and forth. A user on Platform X recorded footage of the Angel of Independence statue in central Mexico City swaying during a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake occurred before 8:00 AM local time yesterday near the Pacific coast in Mexico's Guerrero state, with its epicenter 35 kilometers deep in the ocean. The tremors were felt in several states in central and southern Mexico. At least 12 people were reported injured, and there was minor damage in Mexico City, the capital, as well as other property damage and several landslides on roads in other areas of Mexico.
According to Thai News Agency, the swaying Independence Angel Monument, a 45-meter-high pillar, was erected in 1910 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Mexico's struggle for independence. Topped with a golden statue of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, the monument stands tall.
The tremors from the earthquake also forced Mexican President Claudia Shebaum, who was in Mexico City nearly 300 kilometers from the epicenter, to abruptly end her first morning press conference of the new year on January 2nd and escort journalists out of the event. Similarly, people in Mexico City evacuated buildings and homes, while hospitals moved patients to safety. Later, two deaths were reported: a 50-year-old woman who died when her house collapsed in Guerrero state, and a 67-year-old man who died while running down the stairs of his apartment in Mexico City.
Mexico's seismological service reported that as of noon Saturday local time, 420 aftershocks had been recorded, the strongest measuring 4.7.