Bermuda’s school debate team faced more than international competition in Mexico as the Pan American Debate Tournament in Mexico was struck by an earthquake.

The team were in the midst of a debate when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the nation on Friday. Despite the strength of the earthquake, there were no reported casualties and little significant damage caused by the tremor.

Team member Glenn Simmons, 19, said: “At the time of the earthquake we were at the bottom level of Tecnologico de Monterrey, where we were debating.

“I’ve never experienced an earthquake before but when the floor started to shake I said: ‘Is it me or is the ground shaking?’

“We ran out okay, but I thought to myself that this can’t be happening.”

The four-student team arrived in Mexico City last Tuesday to take part in the tournament, which included teams from Latin American countries, Canada and the US.

The Bermuda team competed in a total of six debates on Thursday and Friday, winning over a total of eight judges — although several discrepancies could potentially increase that total to 13, putting the team in the semi-finals.

On the first day of debate, the Bermuda team lost a debate against Chile and toppled a team from Argentina unanimously before losing unanimously to a team from Mexico.

On Friday, the team defeated two Argentinian teams and lost to a Mexican team, but that decision proved controversial as the deciding chair judge was from Mexico.

Berkeley student Ryan Robinson Perinchief, 17, added: “There was also a debate on the motion ‘this house believes that the sun rises in the east’ that team Bermuda was set to win but the debate had to be thrown out due to the earthquake.”

Mr Perinchief, who was named the best speaker for the Bermuda team, said the group were praised for both their skill and their style — appearing in Bermuda shorts for the first debate of the competition.

“It was my first time debating internationally and I was honoured to have the opportunity to do so,” he said. “It was also my first time in Latin America and Mexico was eye opening for me. It was difficult adjusting to the climate and culture especially because none of us speak fluent Spanish, but I truly learned a lot from this trip about debating and about other countries.”

Team-mate Asha Symons, a 13-year-old Somersfield Academy student, said: “It was interesting and it was a new experience for me. I learned where I had to shift my debating style and how I had to practise speaking more slowly. It was my first time debating internationally and I had a fabulous time.”

The four-student team was rounded out by 17-year-old Jashonae Smith, who studies at the Berkeley Institute, and led by coach Gladstone Thompson, principal of St David’s Primary, and team adjudicator Arleen Swan of the Berkeley Institute.