Magnitude 7.3-7.4 earthquake strikes off Mexico's Pacific coast, triggering tsunami alert for Mexico and Guatemala

The quake

A magnitude 7.3-7.4 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of southern Mexico at 08:48 local time (14:49 GMT) on Friday. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) located the epicentre 48 km southwest of Aquiles Serdán, near the fishing town of Puerto Madero in Chiapas state, at a depth of 10 to 15.2 km. The tremor was felt across the border in Guatemala and as far as El Salvador, with shaking described as moderate to severe along the coast.

Tsunami alert

The US Tsunami Warning System immediately issued an alert for hazardous tsunami waves within 300 km of the epicentre, covering the coasts of Mexico and Guatemala. Forecasts indicated waves between 0.3 m and 1 m above tide level. Mexican Navy Secretary Raymundo Morales told a press conference that water levels at some beaches could rise by up to half a metre.

There is no serious impact. The public is advised to stay away from beaches for now.

Waves of 0.3 m were later recorded at Puerto Madero and Chiapas. Guatemala's seismology institute subsequently assessed the tsunami threat as low, and the US centre later said the danger had passed, advising normal caution near the sea.

Impact and damage

No fatalities were reported in Mexico or Guatemala. In Chiapas, civil protection authorities reported two injuries: one person jumped from a third floor and another was struck by a collapsing door at a car dealership. Emergency services also responded to gas leaks, collapsed walls, dislodged ceiling panels, cracks and other minor structural damage. Governor Salomón Jara Cruz of Oaxaca said the quake was felt with "moderate intensity" but no significant damage occurred there. Governor Eduardo Ramírez of Chiapas suspended administrative activities and urged the private sector to do the same.

In Guatemala, the tremor shook buildings and sent residents running into the streets. President Bernardo Arévalo and his staff evacuated the Presidential Palace, and Congress also cleared its building as a precaution. Arévalo activated the national emergency management agency and reported no victims after a separate magnitude 5.6 quake struck Quetzaltenango at the same time.

I call on the population to remain calm and follow the recommendations.

Reactions and context

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said authorities at various levels were conducting inspections and confirmed no damage in Chiapas and Tabasco. In Guatemala City, 43-year-old resident Adolfo Zacarias fled his home and said memories of the recent Venezuela earthquakes, which killed over 4,900 people on 24 June, had resurfaced.

I think the memories of what happened recently in Venezuela came to mind and that scared us a lot.

Aftershocks

A series of aftershocks with magnitudes between 4.7 and 6 were recorded following the main quake. The shaking was also felt in El Salvador, where buildings trembled and people evacuated. The US Tsunami Warning System noted that smaller waves below 0.3 m were possible for the coasts of El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Honduras.