Violent Earthquake near Pacific resort city of Acapulco

A powerful earthquake has struck near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, killing at least one person and causing buildings to rock and sway in the capital, Mexico City hundreds of kilometres away.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake on Tuesday night had a preliminary magnitude of 7 and was centred 17km (about 10 miles) northeast of Acapulco.

Guerrero state Governor Hector Astudillo told Milenio Television late Tuesday night that one person had been killed by a falling post in the town of Coyuca de Benitez near Acapulco.

"We heard a loud noise from the building, noise from the windows, things fell inside the house, the power went out," said Sergio Flores, an Acapulco resident reached by phone. "We heard leaking water, the water went out of the pool and you heard people screaming, very nervous people."  Flores said all he could do when it started shaking was hug his wife. He saw people leaving hotels around the bay and some running into parking decks to remove their cars, fearing a collapse.

"We were all worried about some change in the sea, but so far, authorities have not said anything about a tsunami alert," he said.

Astudillo said the tsunami alert centre had not registered any variations in the sea level. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later said the threat of potential waves had passed.

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