Quake strikes off Mexico

MEXICO CITY – A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico early Thursday, waking up people living near the Gulf of California only hours after a separate temblor swayed tall buildings in Mexico City, causing evacuations.

Authorities said neither quake caused major damage or injuries. The tremor late Wednesday afternoon was the third strong one to shake Mexico City in as many weeks and rattled the nerves of weary residents.

The U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday’s 6.9-magnitude quake hit the waters between the Baja peninsula and the northern state of Sonora at 12:15 a.m. local time.

People in the city of Hermosillo woke up as their beds swayed and their ceiling fans shook.

The temblor was centered 82 miles northeast of Guerrero Negro and 133 miles west of Hermosillo. It hit some 6.4 miles below the surface.