Reuters
Tuesday, January 21, 2003; 9:47 PM

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A strong earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale rocked Mexico City at 8:09 p.m. on Tuesday (9:09 p.m. EST), cutting power in parts of the city and sending panicked residents out of their homes and buildings in tears, witnesses said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, but sirens of emergency vehicles could be heard in the streets of the huge capital.

The Seismological Service at Mexico City's UNAM University told Reuters the quake measured 7.6 on the Richter scale and was centered in the Pacific state of Colima.

A 7.6 earthquake is capable of causing widespread damage.

A Civil Protection Agency spokesman told Reuters the quake was felt in the central and Pacific states of Mexico, Michoacan and Jalisco as well as Colima and in the capital.

"Until this time we have no reports of damages or victims," he said.

Carmen Rangel, director of the agency, told local radio station that the quake lasted seven minutes.

Residents said power had been cut in large parts of the city. They said motorists pulled over to the side of the road to listen to radio news reports of the quake.