Strong earthquake hits near Acapulco, buildings sway in Mexico City

People gather on the sidewalk of Mexico City's Roma neighbourhood after the strong earthquake was felt. Photo / AP

A powerful earthquake struck near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco today, causing buildings to rock and sway in Mexico City nearly 320km away.

The US Geological Survey said the quake hit at 6.47pm local time on Tuesday (11.47am NZT today), had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered 17km northeast of Acapulco.

There were no immediate reports from the quake zone.

In Mexico City, the ground shook for nearly a minute in some parts of the capital, but was less evident in other parts. Some people evacuated their buildings briefly, but most quickly went back inside on a rainy night.

There were no early reports on damage in the city, though Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum told the Canal 40 television station that electricity was knocked out in some neighbourhoods.