Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes near Mexico's Baja Peninsula

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the southern tip of Mexico's Baja Peninsula, on Tuesday and caused panic, but local officials said there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The quake's epicenter was located 46 miles north of La Paz, Mexico, and was centered in the Gulf of California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

"It felt pretty strong," said Ivan Calderon, a Baja California Sur state civil protection official, adding there were no reports of damages or injuries.

"So far there have just been some reports of people panicking, but nothing serious," Calderon said.

He said school was suspended across the state on Wednesday while officials examined sites for damages. Some other public buildings would also be closed Wednesday for checks, he said.

A magnitude 6 earthquake is capable of causing severe damage. Four more tremors, magnitude 4.8 or less, followed the bigger quake, all clustered north of La Paz, the USGS said.

The southern part of Mexico's Baja Peninsula is sparsely populated outside of La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, and the tourist resort of Los Cabos, located about 98 miles to the south.

(Reporting By Michael O'Boyle; Editing by Bill Trott and Stacey Joyce)