Mexico hit by 6.5 earthquake

The tremor was strong enough to shake buildings and restaurants hundreds of miles away in the capital Mexico City, residents said.

US experts said the quake hit the Veracruz region at 8:11 am local time some 57 kilometres from the city of Las Choapas. It was 167 kilometres deep.

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 6.5 on the moment magnitude scale, and said the epicenter was almost 600 kilometres east of the capital.

No warning of a destructive tsunami was generated, the Pacific Tsunami Warning center said in a statement.

The quake was especially felt in the southern state of Chiapas, which borders on Guatemala, an AFP correspondent reported.

In Mexico City -- where memories of the magnitude 8.1 quake of September 19, 1985 that killed between 10,000 and 30,000 people remain fresh -- restaurants and school buildings quickly emptied out.

"It was a strong one, and we have activated all the monitoring systems but have had no reports of damage or victims," said Elias Miguel Moreno, in charge of the Civil Protection office for Mexico City.