Colima state has been hardest hit, with shock waves destroying many homes and rescuers searching through rubble for survivors.

A state of emergency has been declared in several towns and Colima hospital is said to be full. At least 150 people are known to have been injured.

Strong tremors were also felt in Mexico City some 300 miles away, though the capital appears to have been spared serious damage.

Did you witness the quake and its aftermath? Do you know people who are in the area? E-mail us your experiences.

I felt like things were still moving after they had stopped Douglas Johnson, USA

The quake struck a little after 8pm and it was dark here. We tried to get outside but the ground was moving back and forth and up and down so I believe I dropped down onto my hands and knees and just waited for it to stop. The shaking must have lasted about 30 seconds. It took about 5 seconds to reach maximum intensity and it must have stayed there about 15-20 seconds. It was difficult to determine the end point.

I think I felt like things were still moving after they had stopped. Anyway, there I was on my hands and knees, in the dark, the ground shaking and hearing the rumbling sound and the sound of stuff falling and breaking. When it stopped, I called out to Mela and our hostess, Hilda, to see if they were OK. They were. We did not feel any aftershocks.
Douglas Johnson, USA

We were in our hotel in Puerto Vallarta when the quake hit. The place was really shaking. No damage here but lots of scared tourists.
David Montgomery, Puerto Vallarta

My family and I are currently in L�zaro C�rdenas on the Pacific coast of Michoac�n, which shares a state border with Colima. We felt the quake very strongly just after 8 o'clock last night. I was in the local store. I ran outside into the street like everyone else. My wife was in the house here putting our young daughter down to sleep; she too rushed out into the street.

Colima state has been the worst affected, with many TV pictures of collapsed buildings, particularly in the colonial heart of Colima city. There are fears for those who live in outlying villages. I can assure all those who are worried about friends and relatives who live elsewhere, including Mexico City, that all appears relatively normal.
Steve Bridger, Mexico

I'm only 12 and am researching the story for a geography lesson but i just want to say that I hope as many people survive as possible. lol
Mary, England

Life changes in a couple of minutes Andrea Reyes, Mexico

The quake was pretty strong. Many people ran out of the buildings and you could see people crying in the streets, especially around my neighbourhood which was one of the most damaged in 1985 (Roma).

People still get scared because they know life changes in a couple of minutes and of course, it takes some people with hysteria to spread it. But apart from scared people in the streets I think we were lucky in Mexico City.
Andrea Reyes, Mexico

Well, it was the first earthquake that I didn't sleep right through. I was watching TV when the wife started shouting and the kids started giggling. For anybody who was on their feet it must have been horrible, but if you were sitting down in a well constructed house, it was just another tremble. We just get used to these things...
Ken Bell, Mexico

Is there any news of Melaque and Barra de Navidad? Anyone there reading this message - please do let us know.
Julia Guest, Canada

I think the city is built better since the earthquake of 1985 Fernanda del Monte, Mexico City

It was a strong one, in Colima it was really bad, but in Mexico City nothing really happens. I think the city is built better since the earthquake of 1985.
Fernanda del Monte, Mexico City

My daughter has been staying in the town of Guadalajara. Has this been affected by the earthquake? I've e-mailed her and had no reply yet.
Mary Lloyd, Wales

I am due to fly out to Puerto Vallarta on Sunday and am unable to find out whether this area has been affected. If anyone can provide any information please let me know.
Paula Broadhead, UK

I'm from Guadalajara. I could tell you everything is OK, and Puerto Vallarta is too, Paula Broadhead. Good luck and enjoy your trip.
Francisco S�nchez, Guadalajara, M�xico

I have a friend who is on holiday with her mum and they were staying in Mexico City and then moving on to Colima, I think. Has there been any mention of tourists or tourist areas that may have been on affected by the earthquake? Any information would gratefully received.
Rene Karen Katiisa, England, UK

The blinds started swinging Mark Arthur, Mexico

We felt it here in Morelia, Michoacan, just south of Colima. The blinds started swinging and the window frame seemed to move. I was standing up and it felt a bit like the first rush of a cigarette in the morning. Sadly, according to the Mexican news, the damage in some places has been pretty serious, especially in Colima where a state of emergency has been declared.
Mark Arthur, Mexico

My wife is in Toliman a small town south east of Guadalajara. All the lines are down, does anyone have any news of this area? I also am awaiting anxiously.
Mel Hemamda, England

Is there any contact numbers for the British Embassy? I have a friend in Mexico City who I am worried about now. Laura, if you read this, let me know you are safe.
Chris Tate-Davies, UK

Chris Tate-Davies should contact the Consular Department of the FCO in London - they will have news of any British casualties. The Embassy in Mexico City will not be able to release any information like that to callers. Anyway, it looks like Mexico City was virtually unaffected. Hope this helps.
Andrew Morris, UK

Chris Tate-Davies, UK: Here is the phone number I found for British Embassy ie consulate in Mexico. +52 55 5242 8500. I hope that helps you. As the International Emergency Office Coordinator for His Glory Search, Rescue and Aid Team I have been investigating the earthquake and thus far have found as many as 23 died, all but two in Colima and two in Jalisco.

We have a team standing by in the event more assistance is needed and contingent on available funding. If you need more help feel free to contact me at [email protected] I have help you in anyway I can.
Jennifer Steffensen, USA

There were some people who did not even feel it!!! Cecilia Walters, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico

The quake hit right in the middle of the new Friends yesterday evening! Luckily here at Lakeside, and in Guadalajara we felt it quite heavily, but there was no damage.

Mexico City lost power in some parts for a while, but there was no big problems, the small coastal towns in the state of Colima were probably the worst hit, they are still digging in rubble in several places. Chris Tate, I would not worry about your friend, there were some people who did not even feel it!!!
Cecilia Walters, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico

My girlfriend is working near Guadalajara in a small town to the east. I don't know how she is, but I hope she is OK. There is no way for me to contact her at the moment, so I just have to sit patiently until the chaos has settled a little. I have e-mailed her and I wait in anticipation for her response. If you have any information regarding the effect of the quake in surrounding Guadalajara can I be informed? Many thanks.
Steven R Manning, England

Steven, this is particularly for you. I was in a restaurant during the quake last night, and though it was very frightening and lots of things were moving, considering the magnitude of the quake and its effect in Colima I think GDL got off extremely lightly.

I understand about 40 buildings in GDL have been destroyed, which to be honest I find quite surprising as although things jumped around I believe any average building would have withstood the tremor relatively easily. If I were you I would not be too concerned, I think most people had a fright, but nothing more fortunately.
Helen Carter, Guadalajara, Mexico

Mr. Manning: I spoke with my parents who live in Guadalajara at 7:30 US EST and they informed me that the Guadalajara metro area was minimally affected by the quake. I was told that there were no reports of any damaged buildings nor people hurt as a direct result of the quake.

If you can read Spanish, I would highly recommend going to http://www.informador.com.mx which is the site for one of Guadalajara's largest daily newspapers and will have much more detailed news on the quake's effect on the Guadalajara area.
Andre N Sanchez, USA

Dear Steven, go to google.com, translate this link from Spanish to English, and you will get detailed news that you are looking for http://www.informador.com.mx/
informa/linea/21um92b.htm
Jay, USA

To Mr Manning: The effects in Guadalajara were not serious. It was quite strong and lasted a good 45 seconds. I have not heard of major structural damages nor injuries here in Guadalajara and vicinity. Unfortunately, that is not the case in Colima. Keep in mind Colima (city) is a good 3 hours ride from Guadalajara. I bet your friend is OK.
Norman Pimentel, Mexico

To Steve Manning: Guadalajara is fine, by the way it is the second largest city in Mexico, I live a half hour away from there closer to Colima where the quake hit. It was certainly felt, but no damage.
Anna, Mexico

I have just returned from three weeks holiday in Guadalajara, but my girlfriend, Brenda, stayed there with her family for a while longer. I am quite worried for her safety because, as Steven writes, contact is not possible at the moment. Any 'reassuring' news of the quake's effect in Guadalajara itself would be welcome. And Brenda, if you read this, I'm praying for you and your family!
Tony Coombs, England

We are getting married there Tony Coombs, England

Further to my earlier e-mail, I am happy to say that Brenda has called me. She was in a church just outside of Guadalajara last night when the quake struck, on a marriage preparation course (we are getting married there on 31 May 2003). Let's hope that wasn't an omen!
Tony Coombs, England

Zoe, my youngest daughter, and her friend are in the area - hopefully safe. If you read this, Zoz, let us know at once.
Hugh Hodge, South Africa

My sister Zoe and her boyfriend were on a bus last night from Mexico City to the Pacific coast. We have no news of her and the number given to me by the Mexican Embassy is constantly engaged. If anyone knows another way of getting information please post to this site. Thanks.
Kellie Hodge, UK

My sister-in-law lives in Colima City, where the most damage has been reported up to this moment. We have heard from her and she is fine and her home is standing. But she has gone to stay with her mother-in-law in another part of Colima City which they consider a safer dwelling.

While the damage in Colima City sounds substantial, I am more concerned about the city of Tecom�n about 40 km to the SW. The USGS web site puts the epicentre of the quake about 13km S of Tecom�n, a city of 75,000 with a lower standard of living, generally speaking, than Colima City. I have not seen reports about Tecom�n yet, but I would fear horrific damage and many deaths.
Jay Baldwin, USA

Working in Guadalajara at the moment. The quake lasted about 40 seconds. No damage reported in the city. Outlying areas, I do not know.
Paul Maxwell, Scotland/Mexico

I'm a British teacher living in Mexico City and I live in the mountains but felt the quake last night. My friends living downtown obviously felt it very strongly and had to evacuate their buildings. My colleague Kate said all her furniture was moving and she was afraid a heavy wardrobe was about to topple over.
Anne-Marie Ohene-Kena, Mexico

We live in the west of Mexico City on the hills overlooking the city. Myself and my work colleagues who live in the areas known as Lomas de Chapultepec, Las Herraduras, Interlomas, etc did not feel the quake at all, and learned about it from concerned family and news reports.
John Barrett, Mexico

It was my first experience of a semi-hard earthquake R Potter, Mexico

I'm an expat living in Mexico City. It was my first experience of a semi-hard earthquake and quite a scary one! I was lying on my bed watching TV on the 1st floor and the bed starting swaying from side to side. My wife told me to quickly get under a doorway, which has more structural support.

We do get light tremors here quite regularly and normally you can't even feel them. The worst quakes are when you get not only the side-to-side motion, but vertical movements also. In the Mexico City 1985 earthquake my brother-in-law saw a painting on the wall rotating rapidly due to the two-way motion and another friend who worked on the upper levels of a hospital could see the sky then the ground through the window due to the enormous sway.
R Potter, Mexico

The quake hit as I was reading my e-mail last night. It was a strong one, but compared to the big 1985 quake it was nothing. I can safely say that we in Mexico City are pretty used to big quakes now and don't panic very easily.
Humberto Gumeta, Mexico

These are some of the messages BBC News Online has received with requests for information about people in Mexico.

My mother and her immediate family are in Mexico. I have tried to reach them all night with no success. Please call me as soon as you can.
Victor Karamalis, USA

My two children are in a town close to Colima called Ciudad Guzman and I am terribly worried since I have not been able to communicate and I have not heard anything as to what happened in this area if anyone has heard anything about Ciudad Guzman please let me know.
Ofelia Matthews, USA

My mother and father (Wallace and Marianna Stuerke) are vacationing in Manzanillo, staying at Vista Hermosa. If anyone has information on them specifically, or the resort, please contact me at [email protected]. God bless.
John Stuerke, USA

We own a condominium on the beach of Santiago eight miles north of Manzanillo in the state of Colima. Anyone having info about that area please inform us.
A Randall Symons, Canada

I was wondering if Ixtapan De La Sal felt any of the quake? We have family in that area.
Connie Ayala, United States

My in-laws are vacationing in Manzanillo which I believe is near Colima. We have been unable to contact them since the quake. Does anyone know whether Manzanillo was affected? Thanks.
David Green, Canada

I have friends in San Patricio Melaque on the coast of Jalisco - any news from there?
Jane, UK

John and Jean in Barre de Navidad - we hope you're OK. If you need and can get home we'll pay for your tickets. E-mail us. Love/Hugs/Kisses - D&T.
Morrison, USA

My mother is on holiday in Manzanillo, does anyone have any reports of what is happening there.
Carol Rodriguez , USA

We have family that lives in LaBarca which is Northeast of Colima. Is there any news from that region?
Sue Elliott, USA

Thelma and Bob Atkins holidaying somewhere on the Pacific Coast. Please contact me to let me know you and your family are OK.
Shirley Tilley, UK