Powerful earthquake near Mexico's Acapulco kills at least 1

The earthquake was felt strongly in parts of Mexico City, sending residents and tourists spilling into the streets from homes and hotels.

"I'm very scared. I don't know if I'll sleep tonight. I'm worried about my daughter. I woke her up to take her outside and I didn't even put my shoes on," said 49-year-old resident Laura Villa.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage in the capital, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said on Twitter.

Several neighborhoods were left without power and the electricity board was working to restore as soon as possible, she added.

Flashes of light were seen in the sky above the capital as the earthquake hit the power grid.

Bordered by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, Mexico is one of the most seismically active places in the world, sitting atop five tectonic plates including three major ones.

On September 19, 1985, an 8.1 magnitude quake in Mexico City killed more than 10,000 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings.

On the anniversary of that earthquake in 2017, a 7.1 quake left around 370 people dead, mainly in the capital.

AFP