A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico and parts of Central America on Friday, July 17, triggering a tsunami alert along sections of the Pacific coast and causing panic across the region.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred about 48 kilometres off the coast of Aquiles Serdan in Mexico at a depth of 18 kilometres.
Mexico’s seismological service later recorded more than 30 aftershocks, with the strongest measuring 6.8 magnitude. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a tsunami threat alert following the quake, prompting authorities to advise residents to move away from beaches as a precaution.
The tremor was strongly felt in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, as well as in neighbouring Guatemala and El Salvador. No casualties had been reported as of the time of filing this report. In Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas State, frightened residents evacuated buildings as the quake struck.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she had spoken with the governors of the affected states, while Navy Secretary Raymundo Morales assured the public that there were no major impacts. She said “There are no serious effects.” In Guatemala City, authorities evacuated several buildings and suspended classes in communities close to the Mexican border due to the intensity of the earthquake.
Although Mexico City is more than 800 kilometres from the epicentre, some residents reported feeling the tremor, leading to precautionary evacuations of several high-rise buildings. Mexico and much of Central America lie along active tectonic plate boundaries, making the region one of the world’s most earthquake-prone areas.