6.5 earthquake sparks panic in southern Mexico

TUXTLA GUTIERREZ: A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico's Chiapas state Thursday, sparking panic in the town of Tapachula, near the Mexico-Guatemala border, local civil protection officials and US scientists said.

Mexican officials, who estimated the strength of the temblor at 6.2 using the Richter scale, said there were no immediate reports of damage.

The US Geological Service (USGS) measured the quake at 6.5, using the more reliable Moment Magnitude scale.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 75.2 kilometers (46.7 miles), 40 kilometers (25 miles) south-southwest of Tapachula, the USGS said.