At least two people have died after a powerful earthquake hit southern and central Mexico on Friday.

The epicentre of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake was near the popular tourist town of Acapulco, near San Marcos in the south-western state of Guerrero, which suffered moderate damage.

A 50-year-old woman died in Guerrero, the state’s governor Evelyn Salgado said, while Clara Brugada, Mexico City’s mayor, confirmed the death of a 60-year-old man and said 12 others had been injured in the capital.

Mexico is situated in one of the world’s most seismically active areas, sitting at the meeting point of four tectonic plates.

Late on Friday night, Brugada said power has been restored to “98% of the failures reported” in Mexico City.

Two structures were being evaluated for risk of collapse, she said, while 34 buildings and five homes were being inspected as a preventative measure.

Damage assessments are under way in Mexico City after roads and hospitals were impacted, according to news agency Reuters, while authorities noted various landslides on highways around the Guerrero state.

Mexico’s seismological service had registered 420 aftershocks by midday local time (18:00 GMT).

President Claudia Sheinbaum was holding her first press conference of the year when the earthquake struck.

In a video capturing the moment, Sheinbaum can be heard saying “it’s shaking” as an earthquake alert system rings in the background. She then tells the media to “all get out calmly”.

Additional footage shows buildings shaking in Mexico City and cars trembling in Acapulco.

After hearing the Mexican Seismic Alert System early on Friday, residents and tourists rushed into the streets of Mexico City and Acapulco.

The seismic system was put into place following the deadly 1985 earthquake that claimed more than 10,000 lives.

In 2017, a 7.1 magnitude quake, killed more than 200 people and toppled dozens of buildings in Mexico City.

(BBC)

President Donald Trump says the United States ⁠has ‘captured’ Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and flown them out of ⁠the country after “large-scale” strikes.

Earlier, Venezuela’s government accused the US of attacking civilian and military installations in multiple states, as ‍it rejected “military aggression” ‍by Washington. The government of President Maduro had declared ‌a national ‌emergency following the series of attacks.

The attacks came after months of tension with the US, which has accused Venezuelan President Maduro of being involved in drug trafficking. Maduro has denied the accusations.

On Thursday, Maduro indicated he was open to negotiating a deal with the US to combat drug trafficking. The US has carried out more than 20 air strikes in the sea near Venezuela since September, as it slapped sanctions and upped military pressure on Caracas.

(Aljazeera)

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.

The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.

Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.