Powerful Mexico earthquake leaves at least two dead

A magnitude-7.6 earthquake struck Mexico, killing at least two people on the same date that two earlier devastating tremors shook the country.

Mexican authorities said two people died in the port of Manzanillo. One was crushed by a department store's facade while another was found dead at a mall.

Videos on social media showed the roof of the mall collapsed into the top floor, a gym, as people yelled for help.

Authorities also reported that hospitals were damaged in western state of Michoacan, near the quake's epicentre.

The US Geological Survey said that the quake struck near Michoacan's border with Colima shortly after 1pm local time.

The earthquake was 15 kilometres deep.

The US Tsunami Centre said a tsunami warning was possible for areas along the Mexico coast, and that waves of one to three metres above tide level were possible.

There was no tsunami threat for the US West Coast, the centre said.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said there were no immediate reports of significant damage in the country's capital.

Monday's earthquake struck on the same date that previous earthquakes rattled Mexico.

An 8.1-magnitude quake that struck near Mexico City killed at least 10,000 people in 1985. In 2017, at least 370 people died from a 7.1-magnitude earthquake.

"It seems like a curse," graphic designer Isa Montes told Reuters.

Authorities said the seismic alert sounded almost two minutes before the earthquake struck, giving residents time to flee to safety.

The government sounded the alarm earlier in the day during a practice exercise commemorating the two earlier earthquakes.

Reuters contributed to this report

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