Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

5.1 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

Mexico

A series of earthquakes rattled southern and central Mexico Sunday, forcing the evacuation of dozens of villages that sit on hillsides loosened by a deadly tropical storm last month.

More than a dozen quakes centreed along the coast of Guerrero state began around 8:30 a.m. and continued for at least three hours, ranging in strength from barely perceptible to 5.2. Authorities reported no deaths or significant damage. Authorities were evacuating between 100 and 200 hamlets, most of less than 150 people, where the heavy rains of Tropical Storm Manuel left unstable slopes on surrounding hills.

One of the strongest of Sunday's quakes set off seismic alarms in Mexico City and authorities warned people to stay away from elevators and windows. It had its epicentre near the hamlet of La Pintada, where dozens died when a massive mudslide hit the centre of town on Sept. 16.

The first strong temblor struck at 9:27 a.m. (10:27 ET) and was centred less than 3 miles south of the coastal town of Coyuca de Benitez. It had a preliminary magnitude of 5.21.

The institute issued a preliminary magnitude of 4.96 after the second strong quake, which hit at 10:57 a.m. (11:57 ET) and was centred 27 miles south of the community of Atoyac de Alvarez, near La Pintada.