A powerful 8.1 magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico late Thursday, September 7, 2017. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the state of Chiapas – the southernmost state in Mexico. Because of the magnitude of the quake, its effects were felt throughout Mexico and as far north as Mexico City – 600 miles from its epicenter. Approximately 50 million people across Mexico felt the tremors from the quake. The earthquake, one of the most powerful ever recorded in Mexico, toppled hundreds of buildings, and killed at least 61 people.