Mexico is reeling after a powerful earthquake rocked Mexico City. It crumbled buildings, and knocked out power to millions of people.
For a Detroit native and his family living in Mexico, it was a close call.
Dug Schmidt and his Wife Belen, are doing better, safe at their home just outside of Puebla, Mexico.
But, after the massive 7.1 magnitude quake hit, panic quickly took over.
"Of course me I didn't realize what was going on she just said run run," said Dug.
Dug and Belen talking to 7 Action News via Facebook.
"It was a very strange feeling you feel like if you walk you get dizzy and you feel like you can't get to the exit," said Dug and Belen.
This earthquake was all too familiar for the couple, who experienced another earthquake just two weeks ago.
"Back and forth tethering tottering that lasted a little bit it was kind of scary," said Dug.
Early reports put the epicenter of the quake 34 miles south-southwest of the city of Puebla, near where the Schmidt's office building is.
"We're on the third floor the stairs cracked parts around our office cracked. Dust was coming from the roof it was a little scary," said Dug.
After the couple got out of the building safely, their concerns quickly turned to their baby girl.
"We were just worried about getting home to our daughter she was at the house," said Dug.
What is normally a 15 minute commute home, turned into an agonizing hour.
"The power was out in the whole city the cell phones were down, we didn't have internet or anything, we had no way to contact our families and tell them we are okay," said Belen.
The Schmidt's say the quake shook for about a minute.
"We heard from our friends who live in the center of town, some of the buildings collapsed just went straight to the ground," said Dug.
Employees in larger buildings in the city held readiness drills early this morning.
"Today was the main day for the bigger buildings and companies to do the drills so this morning they had those," said Belen.
Those drills were to mark the anniversary of another massive earthquake that hit Mexico back in 1985 that killed thousands of people.
The Schmidt's say they have to wait for a building inspector to take a look at the damage done to their office building before they can return to work, but that may take a few days even weeks.
