A 7.2 magnitude earthquake has hit the Mexican peninsula of Baja California, killing at least two people and injuring some 100 more. Roads were torn up, buildings cracked and electricity posts toppled, while the tremors were felt in the US state of California.

The earthquake struck at 15:40 local time (22:40 GMT) on Sunday, 26 kilometres south-west of Guadalupe Victoria in Baja California, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake's epicentre is some 170 kilometres south-east of the city of Tijuana, near the US border. It was the worst quake to hit the region for many years, officials said.

In the city of Mexicali - a border city near the epicentre of Sunday's quake - a state of emergency has been declared as many people are still trapped in their homes and power is down. Mexican civil protection officials said one man died when a house in Mexicali collapsed, while another man died in the city after he ran out of his house during the quake.

In Tijuana, Easter celebrations were interrupted as families rushed for open ground when buildings and cars started to sway. In the US, some neighbourhoods in San Diego reported minor structural damage and burst water pipes, while the Los Angeles Fire Department had also responded to a number of automatic alarms and people being stuck in lifts.