Count down to 'apocalypse'

The government of a city in southern Mexico has just installed an electronic clock to count down the time from now until December 21, 2012, a time when some believe that civilization on earth will be destroyed. .

The watch is located in the city of Tapachula, state of Chiapas and will start operating on December 21 - exactly one year before the 'end of the world' , the AP reported.

A corner of Tapachula city in Mexico.

Many believe that December 21, 2012 is the end of the world. Their beliefs stem from a Mayan story - an ancient nation that once existed in Mexico and had a high level of development. According to legend, on December 21, 2012, a god will return to the lower realm. His return will lead to the destruction of today's civilization and the opening of a new civilization.

Manolo Alfonso Pinot, the head of the tourism industry of Chiapas state, said a Mayan cleric will perform the ritual from ancient times in the archaeological area of ​​Izapa near the city.

Maya civilization experts say traces of Mayan rock calendar do not imply apocalypse. According to them, these marks only mark the end of a calendar cycle and open a new cycle.

Pinot does not believe that the end of the world will happen, but he insists the watch will attract tourists.

'A lot of people know they can add energy to their bodies if they go to unusual places like Izapa. If people care, we have to take advantage of opportunities , "Pinot said.