A moderate 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook central Mexico, including the capital Mexico City on Friday, sending people onto the streets but with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The quake struck at 2.24pm local time (1924 GMT) at a depth of 56 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), and sent thousands out of restaurants and offices onto the streets of the Mexican capital and shook the colonial city of Puebla.

The quake's epicentre was some 80 kilometres south of Puebla, and 150 kilometres southeast of Mexico City, the USGS said.

"There are no reports of major damage at the moment," the capital's Mayor Marcelo Ebrard told local radio.

"Evacuations took place as normal. There were a few emotional breakdowns but no serious emergency," said Ricardo Montoya, from an emergency unit of the capital's police.

It was the second moderate quake to strike Mexico City in less than a month.

On 27 April a 5.6-magnitude quake shook residents already reeling from a swine flu outbreak that has to date killed 80 people in the country.

AFP

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