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Deadly quake, Hurricane Katia a one-two punch for Mexico

Residents fearing aftershocks sleep on stoops outside their earthquaked-damaged homes in central Juchitan, Oaxaca state, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. This was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico and it struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and sending panicked people fleeing into the streets in the middle of the night. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Residents fearing aftershocks sleep on stoops outside their earthquaked-damaged homes in central Juchitan, Oaxaca state, Mexico, Friday, Sept. 8, 2017. This was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico and it struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and sending panicked people fleeing into the streets in the middle of the night. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

By Associated Press September 9, 2017 1 min read

JUCHITAN, Mexico (AP) – One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico and a raging hurricane dealt a devastating one-two punch to the country, killing at least 61 people as workers scrambled to respond to the twin national emergencies.

The 8.1 quake off the southern Pacific coast just before midnight Thursday toppled hundreds of buildings in several states. Hardest-hit was Juchitan, Oaxaca, where 36 people died and a third of the city’s homes collapsed or were otherwise rendered uninhabitable, President Enrique Pena Nieto said Friday.

In Juchitan, the remains of brick walls and clay tile roofs cluttered streets as families dragged mattresses onto sidewalks to spend a second anxious night sleeping outdoors.

Across the country, Hurricane Katia was roaring onshore north of Tecolutla in Veracruz, pelting the region with rains and winds.