Mexico Is Rocked By Powerful Earthquake, Tsunami Warnings Issued

The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and hit at 11:49pm local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey

Author:: Lisa Botter
Publish date:: Sep 8, 2017 6:06 AM EDT

A massive earthquake hit off the shore of southern Mexico in the early hours of Friday, triggering tsunami warnings, as the country braces for a hit from Hurricane Katia.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.1 and hit at 11:49pm local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and had an epicenter 102 miles west of Tapachula in the southern state of Chiapas state.

USGS has also recorded a number of aftershocks in the area, measuring between a magnitude of 4.9 and 5.6.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System said that hazardous tsunami waves were possible on the Pacific Coasts of Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama and Honduras, within three hours. There were also warnings for New Zealand, Samoa, French Polynesia and Fiji.

Waves as high as 9.8 feet above tide level were possible along some of Mexico's coast.

The quake was felt in Mexico City which is more than 650 miles from the epicenter, with people fleeing apartment buildings.

Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said three people were killed in Chiapas and two were killed in Tabasco state.

Mexico is also bracing for a direct hit from Hurricane Katia, which was updated to hurricane status Wednesday and could make landfall as a Category 3 storm.

The hurricane will likely make landfall Friday night in the state of Veracruz.

A hurricane warning is out for the state of Veracruz, which is predicted to receive 5 to 10 inches of rain. "Isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches are possible in northern Veracruz and eastern Hidalgo, Puebla, and San Luis Potosi," the Hurricane Center warned. "This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, especially in areas of mountainous terrain."

More of What's Trending on TheStreet: