墨西哥首都墨西哥城周二下午发生7.1级强烈地震，建筑物倒塌，已知至少217人丧生，还有不知道多少人被困在废墟当中。
墨西哥民事防御局负责人在推特上说，墨西哥城有86人丧生，莫雷洛斯州有71人丧生，普埃布拉州43人丧生，墨西哥州有12人丧生，格雷罗州有4人丧生，哈瓦卡州1人丧生。
这次地震震中位于普埃布拉州，在墨西哥城东南123公里处。
墨西哥总统涅托前往墨西哥城一座倒塌的学校视察，墨西哥教育部长说，这所学校有25人不幸遇难，11人获救，还有30人至今下落不明。
墨西哥总统涅托发表视频讲话说，政府的当务之急是搜救被困在瓦砾下的人，并为伤员提供医疗救护，他向失去亲人的人表示问候，并说墨西哥分享他们的悲哀。
当地媒体报道说，市区很多地方受到破坏，电力供应中断，还有一些地方起火。墨西哥首都是世界上人口最多的城市之一。
普通民众和搜救人员都在努力寻找幸存者。从当地电视台的电视画面上可以看到，大家利用重刑器械，甚至是双手，清除一堆堆的瓦砾。
在纽约出席联合国大会的美国总统川普向墨西哥发出推文表示支持。
他在推文中写道：“上帝保佑墨西哥城的人民。我们与你们同在，随时愿意提供帮助。”
墨西哥当局下令国际机场暂停运行，学校关闭。
不到两周前，墨西哥南部刚发生一次地震，有90多人死亡。美国地质调查局说，这两次地震之间看来没有关联。
美国地质调查局的地质专家厄尔说，这两次地震的震中相隔650公里，而大部分余震的震中距离都在100公里以内。
星期二地震震中位于普埃布拉州拉沃索城附近，地震发生在当地时间下午1:14分。普埃布拉州州长加里说，附近城市乔卢拉也受到了严重破坏，倒塌的教堂尖顶横在路中间。
整整32年前，墨西哥城附近地区发生过8级地震，大约一万人死亡。
The death toll continues to rise following a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck Mexico City Tuesday afternoon, collapsing buildings, killing at least 217 people and trapping an unknown number of others in the wreckage.
The head of Mexico's civil defense agency, Luis Felipe Puente, said on Twitter 86 deaths were reported in Mexico City, 71 deaths in Morelos state, 43 in Puebla state, 12 in Mexico state, four in Guerrero state and one in Oaxaca.
The epicenter of the quake was in Puebla, 123 kilometers southeast of Mexico City.
President Enrique Pena Nieto visited a school in the capital city that collapsed, one of dozens of buildings that fell due to the shaking. Mexico's education secretary, Aurelio Nuno, said 25 people were killed at the school, while 11 others were rescued and 30 were missing.
Pena Nieto also issued a video address saying the government's priorities are rescuing those trapped by the earthquake and getting medical aid to the injured. He expressed condolences to those who lost a loved one and said Mexico shares in their grief.
Local media reported extensive damage, power outages and fires throughout Mexico City, one of the most populous urban areas in the world.
Civilians as well as search and rescue teams went to work trying to find survivors using heavy machinery and bare hands to remove piles of rubble.
U.S. President Donald Trump sent a message of support for Mexico from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
Trump tweeted: "God bless the people of Mexico City. We are with you and will be there for you."
Mexican authorities suspended operations at the international airport and closed schools.
The quake hit less than two weeks after another earthquake killed more than 90 people in the country's south. The U.S. Geological Survey said the two quakes appeared to be unrelated.
USGS seismologist Paul Earle said the two epicenters are 650 kilometers apart and most aftershocks are within 100 kilometers.
Tuesday's earthquake was centered near the town of Raboso, in Puebla state. It hit at 1:14 p.m., local time. Puebla Governor Tony Gali reported there also was significant damage in the nearby city of Cholula, where collapsed church steeples fell into the streets.
The earthquake struck exactly 32 years after an 8.0 temblor killed nearly 10,000 people in and around Mexico City.
