On 19 September, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico City and surrounding states, killing at least 230 people. The event sparked both chaos and solidarity with the people and areas most affected.
Several witnesses in Mexico City told The Canary what they saw as the earthquake hit. Those who work in office buildings described windows cracking, as if they’d had rocks thrown at them, while everything around them fell to the floor. Others explained how it was difficult to remain standing. And those who managed to get out into the streets described seeing both the ground and the cables above their heads moving as they waited for the earthquake to end.
This is something sad 😪😥 #terremotomexico #earthquake #EarthquakeMexico #Sismo #Sismomx #MexicoCityearthquake #Mexico pic.twitter.com/orsIjxIGwp
— Francisco Olivas (@focente) September 19, 2017
After the earthquake had stopped, witnesses spoke of visible cracks in walls, heavy traffic, and people fleeing from buildings. The fear and shock both during and after the event were palpable.
But in other places, the situation was much worse. Buildings had collapsed – some with people still inside.
Usuarios grabaron el momento en que un edificio se colapsa por el sismo pic.twitter.com/W8hamukccw
— REFORMA (@Reforma) September 19, 2017
Colonia Del Valle pic.twitter.com/oe4iqUnC1G
— Alejandro Cacho (@Cachoperiodista) September 19, 2017
One of the buildings that collapsed, killing dozens of people, was the preschool part of a private school [Spanish] in the south of Mexico City.
Another video, meanwhile, captured the explosion of a building after the earthquake:
#Sismo | #Video captures building exploding after a 7.1 Earthquake strikes Mexico City. pic.twitter.com/03AT2SkUEC
— ESPECIGEST (@ESPECIGEST) September 20, 2017
Solidarity
The earthquake happened exactly 32 years after another devastating earthquake destroyed 100,000 houses and killed thousands of people. And there had even been a yearly drill earlier in the day, which commemorates the 1985 disaster.
But there was not only shock, chaos and destruction in Mexico City and surrounding states after the earthquake struck on 19 September 2017. There were also many citizens who quickly volunteered to help those affected:
#VIDEO: Actividades de rescate coordinadas entre personas, voluntarios y organizaciones se despliegan por la CDMX. #Sismo
vía @Britovsky pic.twitter.com/4PReMPy0G1— Red Indignada (@RedIndignada) September 19, 2017
Voluntarios laboran en las labores de rescate en Los Girasoles #Coapa, tras #sismo. #FuerzaMéxico pic.twitter.com/adVzbNNwun
— MVS Noticias (@MVSNoticias) September 20, 2017
Vecinos en la Roma levantan escombros para buscar personas atrapadas bajo escombros. @SPCCDMX @PcSegob pic.twitter.com/WQqhpID2nx
— Luisa Martínez Cadena (@luigiowicha) September 19, 2017
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), meanwhile, soon organised [Spanish] volunteer brigades to help those affected:
Miles de universitarios entusiastas llegan al #EOU y comenzarán a salir en brigadas de rescate. Mañana se requerirán brazos nuevos. pic.twitter.com/mOqqvtTMs7
— UNAM (@UNAM_MX) September 20, 2017
Thousands of people offered [Spanish] their help.
We can too.
Get Involved
– Donate to Topos México (a local rescue brigade on the front line), UNICEF Mexico, the Mexican Red Cross, Oxfam Mexico, World Relief, the International Community Foundation, the Global Giving Foundation, Save the Children Mexico, and/or Project Paz.
Article updated at 02:00 (BST) on 21 September to reflect the latest death toll.
Featured image via Twitter
