Monroeville Native 'Terrified' During Mexico Earthquake
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MEXICO CITY (KDKA) -- Samuel Polinsky is a professional wrestler and native of Monroeville. He's been living in Mexico City for the past year and a half to pursue his career in the ring. Never in a million years did he expect to live through an earthquake.
He talked with KDKA's Amy Wadas over Skype to share his story.
"I was sleeping and the bed started shaking and I couldn't quite comprehend why," Polinsky said.
That shaking was from a magnitude 8.1 quake that hit late Thursday, felt as far as Mexico City and Guatemala City. The earthquake was registered off Mexico's southern coast.
"My entire tower that I live in [my apartment complex] was swaying side to side, which was probably the most terrifying experience of my life," said Polinsky.
Polinsky managed to get out of the building with his girlfriend, but there was one thing he noticed.
"When we went downstairs, the transformers were blowing. There was no electricity, but it was kind of funny because everyone remained kind of calm about it. They're so used to it that they just kind of went into the streets and went into protocol, if you will," Polinsky said.
At least 58 people have died in the quake so far. The president of Mexico says the quake was felt by 50 million people across the country and was the strongest earthquake Mexico has experienced in 100 years. In September 1985, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake killed an estimated 9,500 people in and around Mexico City.
"We got lucky here in Mexico City. We got the side effects but even that was brutal when everyone in the city felt it," said Polinsky.
Polinsky said lucky is the best way to describe us Pittsburgher's.
"Pittsburgh, we're lucky we don't have those. We don't have earthquakes. We have rain and snow but no earthquakes," Polinsky said.