Powerful 7.0 magnitude strikes southwestern Mexico killing at least one

Authorities reported instances of gas leak, power outages, damage to a hotel and a public hospital

A powerful earthquake struck southwestern Mexico near the beach resort city of Acapulco on Tuesday night, leaving at least one person dead and causing damages to buildings, authorities said.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) found the magnitude of the quake to be 7.0, which hit 11 miles southeast of Acapulco in Guerrero state which led to downing of trees, landslides, rockfalls and power outages in several states.

A man was killed after a utility post fell on him in Coyuca de Benitez, a small town west of Acapulco, Guerrero state governor Hector Astudillo informed local television station Milenio TV.

Many gathered in the streets following the tremor, which was initially measured by USGS as 7.4 in magnitude.

"I was taking a bath and suddenly I felt a very strong movement and then I was scared and screamed," a tourist from Mexico City, who fled outside in only a bath towel, was quoted as saying by AFP.

"I came with my mom and we’re on the 11th floor of the hotel," he told the wire agency, hugging his 86-year-old mother, who was crying.

Another said she rushed out of the cinema hall following the quake. "We were in shock," Andrea del Valle who was sitting on a pavement with her partner after rushing out of a cinema told Reuters. "There were no earthquake alarms, so we felt it when it was already happening."

Central Roma Sure neighbourhood of Mexico City witnessed a power outage, forcing scared residents out of their homes, with some huddled together in rain with their family members

Yesmin Rizk, a 70-year-old resident in the neighbourhood, told Reuters that the tremors reminded them of 1985 earthquake, in which about 5,000 people died. "I’m not sure we’ll sleep tonight,” they said.

While authorities also reported a gas leak in a cafe and damage to a hotel and a public hospital, president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador assured that there have been no major damages in areas near the epicentre or surrounding states.

Mexican state power utility the Comision Federal de Electricidad said about 1.6 million people in Mexico City, State of Mexico, Guerrero, Morelos, and Oaxaca have been affected by the quake.

Additional reporting from the wires