Sara Alonso first thought of her family when she heard the news of the 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Mexico City on Tuesday.

She and her husband moved to Saskatoon from Mexico City three years ago and both their entire families are still there. It took about two hours for her to find out if her family was safe. Her brother had to walk about 40 minutes to their grandmother’s house to confirm she was safe, since power was down in some areas.

“I couldn’t find her. Lights were down; no phone service, but eventually we did find a way to communicate and they were fine,” she told CTV Saskatoon on Wednesday.

The death toll from the earthquake is at more than 200 people and is expected to rise. Alonso is asking people in Saskatoon to donate to the Red Cross or reach out to the Latin American Students’ Association at the University of Saskatchewan for other ways to help.

She said even giving words of encouragement to a Mexican is helpful at this time.

“We all live in this same world … it could be Saskatoon needing help, it could be anyone needing help. Right now it’s me reaching for help.” Alonso said.

“The Mexican community is also here if you ever need help were happy to give back.”

The 28-year-old says this is the biggest tragedy to impact her in her lifetime, but growing up in Mexico City, she commemorates an earthquake each year that happened on the same day in 1985. She recalled the major evacuation drill that happens each year on Sept. 19 and was told this year some were confused that the drill was happening a second time.

“But this time it wasn’t a drill it was the real thing,” she said.

Alonso travels back to her home city at least once a year and was planning to go back this week as her grandfather had surgery scheduled on Thursday but she’s now postponed her travel plans. Alonso is teacher and the news of a school, filled with students and staff, which collapsed hits hard.

“The scary part is not the earthquake itself it’s just (what is brings) after like missing people, there’s people that can’t find their kids,” she said as she began to tear up. “It’s so frustrating not to be able to be there.”

She said while it’s overwhelming and frustrating, the community is staying positive and Mexican people are resilient.