Mexico shaken by 6.3 magnitude earthquake

Tourist hotspots in Mexico's Baja California Peninsula were shaken Friday by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake -- but no injuries or damage were reported, authorities said.

The epicenter was located in the Gulf of California, 76 kilometers northeast of Loreto, a small city in the state of Baja California Sur, the National Seismological Service said.

"There are no reports of people being affected or material damage," Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto posted on Twitter.

The Baja California peninsula, which borders the United States, is home to various resorts including Los Cabos -- a favorite among North American and European tourists.

Richard de la Cruz, director general of Mexico's civil defense, confirmed to Milenio Television that areas near the epicenter were not significantly affected.

"Nobody was injured or killed," he said.

According to De La Cruz, "all safety protocols were activated," with schools and hospitals evacuated following the tremor, which "was felt moderately" in Baja California Sur.

He added there was a small aftershock, although neither a change in sea level nor a tsunami risk is expected.

On September 7 and 19 of last year, Mexico suffered two earthquakes measuring 8.2 and 7.1 on the Richter scale respectively.

The first killed 100 people in Oaxaca and Chiapas, southeastern Mexico, while the second left more than 360 people dead, mostly in the capital Mexico City.

Source: AFP