Major earthquake hits southern Mexico

People in capital flee their homes as 6.2 temblor strikes

 

MEXICO CITY — A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico early Wednesday, shaking buildings in Mexico City 220 miles away where people fled into the streets in their pajamas.

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at 2:22 a.m. local time (3:22 a.m. ET), was 75 miles west-southwest of Oaxaca City, Mexico, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It put the magnitude at 6.5, but later downgraded this to 6.2.
Civil protection officials in the city had no initial reports of casualties, although a photograph taken by the european pressphoto agency showed a collapsed building in the area.
"It felt strong, especially near the coast. It woke me up, I was scared too," said Oaxaca civil protection official Gilberto Mateo. "For now we haven't had reports of damage, we are checking communities."
Some hotel guests in the cobblestoned center of Oaxaca felt the tremor strongly and evacuated briefly.
'Very strong'
However Eliel Medina, who works on the front desk of the Hotel de la Parra in Oaxaca City, reacted calmly.
"I noticed it first when I saw that the computer monitor started to move … it was very strong," he told msnbc.com. "I didn't leave my desk because I am working. I waited for it to pass and then it started again. The second one was stronger."
Story continues below

SOURCE: MSNBC 

Amusement park accident kills 6 in China

'Space flight' attraction aimed to give riders experience of a rocket launch

BEIJING — A space shuttle simulator ride plunged 50 feet to the ground at a popular Chinese amusement park, killing six people and injuring another 10.

Survivors said there was a power cut and they heard a loud explosion moments before the drop, Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Wednesday.

Five of those injured in Tuesday's accident are still in a serious condition, the paper added.
The "space flight" attraction at Overseas Chinese Town East aimed to give riders in 11 four-person cabins the experience of a rocket launch, the official Xinhua agency said.

Hong Kong's Ming Pao Daily News quoted witnesses as saying one cabin came loose during a high-speed spin and struck other cabins. Some fell 50 feet, sending passengers tumbling.

The cause of the accident is under investigation, and part of the amusement park in the coastal city of Shenzhen has been shut down for safety checks, Xinhua quoted local official Xiao Wenhong saying.

The booming southern city of Shenzhen is a one-hour drive north of Hong Kong.

SOURCE: MSNBC