(CNN) A strong earthquake hit off the coast of southern Mexico, near the border with Guatemala, the US Geological Survey reported Friday. The quake, which was felt as far as Mexico City and Guatemala City, had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 and depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. It was a particularly shallow quake, according to Jana Pursely, a geophysicists at the USGS.
It struck off the Pacific Coast 74 miles (120 kilometers) southwest of Tres Picos, Mexico, which is 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City.

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