A powerful earthquake jolted central Mexico on Tuesday, causing buildings to sway sickeningly in the capital on the anniversary of a 1985 quake that did major damage.

Widespread damage has been reported around the epicenter. Thousands of people fled office buildings along the central Reforma Avenue as alarms blared, and traffic stopped around the Angel of Independence monument.

Update: 119 dead after the M7.1 earthquake hit near Mexico City on September 19, 2017.

Mexico City ater the M7.1 earthquake:

Mexico City after earthquake. pic.twitter.com/w4bWhvDQJQ — Aurelio Martínez (@AurelioMartine) September 19, 2017

The powerful M7.1 earthquake was centred near Raboso, in the State of Puebla, only 76 miles (123 kilometres) southeast of Mexico City.

M7.1 earthquake footage from tourist attraction Xochimilco in Mexico City:

7.1 earthquake footage from tourist attraction Xochimilco in Mexico City pic.twitter.com/MeO27fEFsx — J (@conecora1) September 19, 2017

In Mexico City pictures show destroyed walls, collapsed houses. Some people dove for cover under desks.

A strong earthquake shakes the Mexico’s capital and causes scenes of panic. 19-09-2017

Mexico: A strong earthquake shakes the Mexico’s capital and causes scenes of panic. 19-09-2017 pic.twitter.com/z4UbCzwss4 — Rowan Van Dijk (@Lastkombo) September 19, 2017

Earlier in the day buildings across the city held preparation drills on the anniversary of the 1985 quake.

Much of Mexico City is built on former lake bed, and the soil is known to amplify the effects of earthquakes even hundreds of miles away.

The apocalypse:

BNONews: BREAKING: Building collapses in Mexico City after powerful earthquake; no word on casualties pic.twitter.com/pUwaDsfKqr September 19… — Kurt Wieser (@kwieser76) September 19, 2017

Mexico was previously hit with an 8.0 magnitude earthquake on September 8 that killed more than 80 people in the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas.

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