Powerful earthquake shakes buildings in Mexico City

People flooded onto the streets of Mexico City after an advance warning system sounded before the earthquake tremors hit. Photo / Peter Aronson / Twitter

A 7.5 magnitude quake has shaken southern Mexico, a prolonged rumble that rocked buildings across the capital Mexico City.

The epicentre was close to the Pacific coast in the southern state of Oaxaca and had a depth of 43km, according to the US Geological Survey.

There was no tsunami threat from the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said .

he area is already reeling from an earthquake that caused widespread damage on September 19. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake left 228 people dead in the capital and 369 across the region.

An image from USGS shows where the earthquake struck.

Oaxaca's civil protection service says no damage has been reported so far.

In Mexico City, tall buildings swayed for more than a minute as seismic alarms sounded throughout the city, and tremors were felt as far away as Guatemala to the south.

Television images showed thousands of people in the streets in the city centre, where crowds had gathered to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Alarma sísmica avisó con tiempo el terremoto #terremoto #CDMX pic.twitter.com/rnGE02ytLj

— blackgem (@_theblackgem_) February 17, 2018

- AP