Hundreds of buildings at risk of collapse in Mexico City, prolonging agony long after quake

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Rescuers work in a building toppled by a magnitude 7.1 quake that struck central Mexico almost a week ago, in Mexico City, on September 25, 2017. Hopes of finding more survivors after Mexico City's devastating earthquake have dwindled to virtually nothing as scores of buildings are deemed unsafe. Photo: AFP

Published: 4:00am, 26 Sep 2017Updated: 8:58am, 26 Sep 2017

As many as 360 buildings and homes are in danger of collapse or with major damage in Mexico City nearly a week after a magnitude 7.1 earthquake completely collapsed 38 structures.

The risk of delayed collapse is real. The cupola of Our Lady of Angels Church, damaged and cracked by the September 19 quake, split in half and crashed to the ground on Sunday evening. There were no injuries.

Nervous neighbours continued calling in police on Monday as apparently new cracks appeared in their flats or existing ones worsened, even as the city struggled to get back to normalcy.

Officials said they had cleared only 103 of Mexico City’s nearly 9,000 schools to reopen on Monday and said it could be two to three weeks before all were declared safe, leaving hundreds of thousands of children idle.

Rescuers work in a building demolished by a magnitude 7.1 quake that struck central Mexico. Photo: AFP

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said at least seven schools were among the buildings thought to be at risk of tumbling.

At several points in the city, employees gathered on sidewalks in front of their workplaces on Monday refusing to enter, because they feared their buildings could collapse.