Mexico: Huge earthquake topples buildings, killing more than 200

BBC - A strong earthquake has struck central Mexico, killing more than 200 people and toppling dozens of buildings in the capital, Mexico City.

At least 30 people, mostly children, died after a school collapsed in the capital, local media report.

The 7.1 magnitude quake also caused major damage in neighbouring states.

It struck shortly after many people had taken part in an earthquake drill, exactly 32 years after a quake killed thousands in Mexico City.

The country is prone to earthquakes and earlier this month an 8.1 magnitude tremor in the south left at least 90 people dead.

Though it struck a similar region, Tuesday's earthquake does not appear to be connected with the quake on 7 September, which was at least 30 times more energetic, the BBC's Jonathan Amos writes.
Where was worst hit?

The epicentre of the latest quake was near Atencingo in Puebla state, about 120km (75 miles) from Mexico City, with a depth of 51km, the US Geological Survey says.

The prolonged tremor hit at 13:14 local time (18:14 GMT) on Tuesday and sent thousands of residents into the streets.

An earlier death toll of nearly 250 was lowered to 217 by the country's national co-ordinator for civil protection:

Morelos state: 71 dead

Puebla state: 43 dead

Mexico City: 86 dead

Mexico state: 12 dead

Guerrero: 4 dead

Oaxaca: 1

As many as 37 people - 32 children and five adults - died when the Enrique Rébsamen elementary school collapsed in Mexico City's southern Coapa district, Efe news agency reports, quoting local media.

According to Mexican news site Reforma, 30 bodies have been found at the school and 22 people are missing.

Elsewhere, 15 people were killed when a church near Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano collapsed during Mass, Puebla's governor is quoted by Reuters news agency as saying. The volcano itself had a small eruption as a result of the tremor.