Mexico city quake breaks pipes, but no one is killed

October 26, 1981

A massive earthquake shook southern Mexico late Saturday, plunging half of Mexico City into darkness. Buildings swayed and water and gas mains were broken, but no deaths were reported, even though the quake is said to be as severe as one that struck the Mexican state of Oaxaca exactly a year ago, killing 65. The latest quake registered 6.4 on the open-ended Richter scale.