A strong earthquake measuring magnitude 7.3 struck off the coast of Mexico’s southernmost state, Chiapas, on Friday. The tremor triggered localized tsunami warnings and was felt as far away as Guatemala and El Salvador, causing buildings to shake and prompting emergency responses across the region.
Despite the quake’s intensity, authorities reported no immediate casualties or significant damage to infrastructure. Emergency protocols were swiftly enacted in the affected areas to ensure public safety.
Initial readings placed the earthquake at magnitude 7.4 with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, but the US Geological Survey later revised the data, confirming the quake occurred at a depth of 15.2 kilometers. The epicenter was located approximately 58 kilometers offshore near the small coastal town of Puerto Madero.
Following the event, the US Tsunami Warning System issued an alert warning of potentially hazardous waves along coastlines within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. The warning center estimated wave heights could range from 0.3 to 1 meter above normal tide levels along certain coastal areas in Mexico and Guatemala.
However, Mexican Secretary of the Navy Raymundo Morales downplayed the risk of significant maritime impact during a government briefing, stating that water levels were not expected to rise beyond half a meter. He advised residents to avoid beaches as a precautionary measure.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that no immediate problems were reported in Chiapas or the neighboring state of Tabasco. Similarly, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo announced there were no fatalities in Guatemala.
Nevertheless, the prolonged shaking caused widespread panic. In Guatemala City, office workers and residents evacuated high-rise buildings and gathered outdoors. Several aftershocks followed the main quake, some registering magnitudes between 5 and 6, and were felt across Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
For many in Central America, the earthquake revived fears linked to recent seismic disasters. Residents compared the event to the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 occurring within a minute of each other. The memory of those devastating tremors prompted many to quickly seek safety as Friday’s shaking began.
