With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Information Slow To Trickle In After 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Oaxaca, Mexico
A motorcyclist rides past security tape alerting of a damaged building after a quake in Oaxaca, Mexico on June 23, 2020. (Patricia Castellanos/AFP via Getty Images)
()
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
At 10:29 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Southern Mexico was hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, which originated along its western coast. At least one person was killed, according to government officials.
The state of Oaxaca bore the brunt of the shaking, though it was felt as far as 400 miles away in Mexico City, where earthquake early warning alarms blared, letting people know of the incoming seismic waves.
About 150 miles from the epicenter, in the city of Oaxaca, Omar Alonso, who runs the company oaxacking, said he didn't hear any warning while sitting in his living room at home.
Support for LAist comes from
When the shaking began, he and others hurried outside as the world around them moved uncontrollably.
VIDEO: A building swaying in Mexico City’s La Condesa neighborhood, after today’s 7.4 quake in southern Mexico, according to @TVVnoticias pic.twitter.com/BKJrilJZ8s
— Manuel Bojorquez (@BojorquezCBS) June 23, 2020
"I'm on the second floor. So as soon as I felt it, I started going down stairs. From the moment I got up from my living room, went down my stairs, and went to my parents' house, it was still moving," said Alonso. "It just got stronger as it went on."
"It's very scary. It's like being on a ride, but not for the fun times."
He said that they lost power and cell service, so it was difficult to get news and connect with loved ones. Flooded with scary memories of the deadly 2017 earthquake, he rushed to check on his parents and then drove over to his grandparents' house to make sure they were OK.
Usually pool seiche videos appear to show a single wave... this one's two wavelengths long!
— Austin Elliott (@TTremblingEarth) June 23, 2020
cc @mikamckinnon https://t.co/yhcYHTSoDB
Hours after the earthquake, the extent of the damage is still unclear.
Support for LAist comes from
News is slowly beginning to trickle out of the region, but information from La Crucecita, one of the cities closest to the epicenter, remains concerningly quiet.
The area has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19.
"It's just one thing after the next, after the next. I don't know how much our Oaxaqueños -- well, even Mexicans, people -- will be able to handle. It just keeps coming worse and worse," said Alonso.
California is home to a sizeable Oaxacan population, at least 150,000 people, the largest concentration outside of Mexico.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
Best of LAist