MEXICO CITY — They arrived alone, in pairs or in groups. Some brought supplies others might need: water, blankets, medicine, tools. Others came with nothing more than able hands and a sense of purpose.

It’s very characteristic of the Mexican people: We stand together.

The earthquake killed more than 200 people in several states, flattened dozens of buildings in Mexico City alone and damaged thousands of others. Among the dead were more than two-dozen school children. The quake, which came two weeks after another devastating temblor off the country’s southern coast, was centered about 100 miles from the capital and was followed by at least 11 aftershocks.

Throughout much of Mexico City on Tuesday, nightfall brought an eerie quietude, as businesses closed early and people sought the succor of their families at home. But in the hardest hit neighborhoods, the landscape was different: blocks cast in darkness from power failures were punctuated by nodes of intense activity.

Read the source article at The New York Times

_______

Kirk Semple is a correspondent based in Mexico City and covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Marina Franco and Elisabeth Malkin contributed reporting.