墨西哥南部8.1级引发小规模海啸

At least three people are dead following an 8.1-magnitude earthquake in southern Mexico that toppled houses in Chiapas state. The quake also triggered a small 0.7-meter tsunami.

Rodrigo Soberanes, who lives near San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, told the Associated Press that his "house moved like chewing gum."

Chiapas Governor Manuel Velasco said in a televised interview that "Homes, schools and hospitals have been affected" by earthquake damage.

The quake was felt as far away as Mexico City and Guatemala City. Residents of the Mexican capital fled into the streets, many in their pajamas, for fear buildings would collapse.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said the earthquake was a potential tsunami threat to several Central American countries, including the Pacific coastlines of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador and Costa Rica. It said the threat was still being evaluated for Hawaii, Guam and other Pacific islands.

The quake was centered 120 kilometers southwest of Tres Picos, Mexico. Tres Picos is about 1,000 kilometers southeast of Mexico City.

恰帕斯州一位居民告诉美联社说，他家房子像口香糖一样晃来晃去。

恰帕斯州州长在电视采访中说，“民宅、学校和医院都受到了地震的破坏。”

墨西哥城和危地马拉城都有震感。墨西哥城居民因为担心大楼倒塌，很多人穿着睡衣就跑到了街上。

美国海啸预警系统说，这次地震会对若干中美洲国家带来潜在的海啸威胁，包括危地马拉、洪都拉斯、墨西哥、萨尔瓦多和哥斯达黎加的太平洋海岸线。预警系统说，目前还在对夏威夷、关岛和其他太平洋岛屿面临的威胁进行评估。

这次震中位于墨西哥的特拉斯皮克斯西南面120公里处，特拉斯皮克斯位于墨西哥城东南面，距离墨西哥城约1000公里。