September 08, 2017•Update: September 08, 2017
By Satuk Bugra Kutlugun
ANKARA
Turkey on Friday said it shared the grief of Mexico and its people after a deadly earthquake struck the country.
Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said it “learned with sorrow” about the 'quake which hit southern Mexico, killing at least 15 people and triggering a tsunami warning.
"We share the grief of the Mexican people, extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to the injured," it read.
"Turkey is ready to provide support with all possible means to Mexico, if requested," it added.
According to figures provided by each Mexican state, Ricardo De La Cruz, head of the country’s emergency response agency, said a total of 15 people had been killed in the quake.
He said 10 people died when their house collapsed in Juchitan city of Oaxaca state.
Three others were reported killed in the state of Chiapas, while one more died in Tabasco.
Friday’s earthquake was also felt strongly in Mexico City, even though the epicenter was 965 kilometers (600 miles) away from the capital.
No major damage has been reported in the capital, but the city faces power outages.
A tsunami alert was also issued following the quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The earthquake occurred 96 kilometers (59 miles) southwest of the town of Pijijiapan, at a depth of 35 km (21 miles), the agency said.
The U.S.' Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that "widespread tsunami waves are possible".
The warning relates to some coasts of Mexico, Ecuador and Guatemala, among several other countries to a lesser degree.
