A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Mexico has a local Providence University College student praying for his family and friends back home.

David Ignacio Ortega is from Mexico, and had moved to Puebla where the earthquake struck, just a few years ago. He says that he has "a lot of friends who are basically family" that were impacted by Tuesday's earthquake.

The powerful earthquake rocked central Mexico just after 1:00 p.m. local time on September 19, 2017. The death toll has already climbed above 200.

"I have friends that have lost their homes and another friend who was working on the 32nd floor of a building," Ortega said. He also said the friends he has been able to talk to are worried about aftershocks, and that there was a lot of panic in the city when he spoke to them.

"It's really hard to be here because I feel . . . I just want to be there." Ortega described a sense of helplessness being in Canada while people he loves go through so much.

He also said that he's been moved by seeing how his country has pulled together, and Mexicans helping one another. He's also been encouraged by the outpouring of prayer. "The most powerful weapon we have is prayer."