At least 10 dead in Guatemala quake—firefighters

People who work in office buildings along El Paseo de la Reforma stand outside after evacuating their offices due to an earthquake in Mexico City, Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. A strong earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Guatemala Wednesday morning, rocking the capital and shaking buildings as far away as Mexico City and El Salvador. AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

GUATEMALA CITY—At least 10 people died in southwestern Guatemala after a strong 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the country’s Pacific coast on Wednesday, a firefighters’ spokesman told AFP.

“Reports from colleagues in the area indicate that there are around 10 dead,” Sergio Vazquez said in a telephone interview.

The victims died in the town of San Pedro Sacatepequez, some 250 kilometers west of the capital Guatemala City.

Communication was difficult in the area because phone lines fell and several places were without power, Vazquez said.