Society

Chinese community survives Mexico quake

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-07 09:10

MEXICALI, Mexico - The Chinese community in Mexicali, which was struck by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake Sunday, survived the disaster with only two children suffering slight injuries, a Chinese business leader said Monday.

More than 600 people in a community of about 10,000 Chinese, were affected by the earthquake that killed two people and injured 233 others, Zeng Yingwei, head of the Chinese chamber of commerce in northwest Mexico, told Xinhua.

"Everybody is safe. Only two children were injured, not seriously," Zeng said.

The Mexicali metropolitan region with a population of about 940,000 inhabitants, was the most affected by the Baja California earthquake that also rattled Calexico, San Diego and Los Angeles in the US.

The Interior Ministry on Monday declared a state of emergency in Mexicali.

The strong jolt disrupted services in Mexicali and left cracked streets, damaged buildings, broken pipelines, and some flooding in its wake.