False alarm sends Mexicans into street hours after quake

Quake alarms roused thousands of residents of Mexico City early Saturday, sending some running into the street in their pajamas, but then nothing happened.

Nerves were on edge because a 5.7-magnitude quake had struck south-central parts of the country hours earlier, though there were no reports there of injuries or damage.

Alarms sounded in some of the capital's central neighborhoods, including Escandon and Del Valle, sending dozens out of their homes, AFP journalists reported.

Similar scenes were witnessed in the Iztacalco neighborhood farther south, as well as in Popotla in the city's east, while in neighborhoods including Roma and Doctores no alarm was sounded.

Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum initially reported the alarm on Twitter, but minutes later confirmed there had been no quake.

She subsequently said she had instructed officials to investigate why alarms had been sounded.

After Friday's earthquake, several people reported on social media that the alert was accompanied by a message saying it was a simulation -- confusing many about whether to leave home.

The capital's C5 security command center said Friday it was investigating the matter.

The capital's earthquake alert system uses seismic monitors located principally on Mexico's southern Pacific coast, where most temblors in the region originate.

It is designed to provide a warning of up to two minutes before a quake is felt in the capital.

Mexico, with its extensive Pacific coast, is subject to numerous quakes.

A 7.1-magnitude temblor on September 19, 2017, caused 370 deaths, primarily in the capital.

On the same date in 1985, a powerful 8.0-magnitude quake shook the capital, leaving more than 10,000 people dead.

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6.0-magnitude earthquake strikes off Algerian coast: USGS
Algiers (AFP) March 18, 2021
A shallow 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck off the Algerian coast on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said. The quake hit 20 kilometres north-east of the city of Bejaia at 1:04 am local time (0004 GMT), at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the US monitoring service. Bejaia, which has a population of roughly 164,000, endured moderate shaking, USGS said. The capital city Algiers also felt some light shaking. In the aftermath of the 6.0-magnitude quake USGS reported two further quakes ... read more