A 7.3‑magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of southern Mexico on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific
No fatalities or significant damage have been reported in Mexico or Guatemala, although the quake was felt in El Salvador.
Mexico’s navy secretary, Admiral Raymundo Morales, told a press conference that there was no serious impact, but advised people to stay away from beaches.
The US Tsunami Warning Center warned of possible "hazardous tsunami waves" along the coasts of Mexico and Guatemala. Waves of 0.3m (1.1 feet) above tide level were recorded in Puerto Madero and Chiapas.
Several hours after the initial warning, the centre said the threat had passed but urged residents in affected areas to remain observant and exercise normal caution near the sea.
The quake, which hit near the fishing town of Puerto Madero at 08:49 local time (14:49 GMT) on Friday, had a depth of 15.2 km (9 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz said the quake was felt with moderate intensity but produced no serious damage. Chiapas Governor Eduardo Ramírez stated no serious impact either, and he had instructed his cabinet to suspend administrative activities and urged the private sector to do the same.
In Guatemala and El Salvador, the tremor shook buildings, leading to evacuations and some people running from their homes, Reuters reported.
Other aftershocks, with magnitudes between 4.7 and 6, have been recorded.
Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arévalo said the country’s emergency management agency was deployed in response to a 5.6‑magnitude quake with its epicentre in Quetzaltenango, and no fatalities have been recorded so far. He urged the population to remain calm and follow recommendations on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast waves of less than 0.3m above tide level along the coasts of El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Honduras. A tsunami can persist for many hours, and in this case waves lasted 12 minutes in Puerto Madero and 28 minutes in Chiapas.
NOAA warned that persons caught in the water of a tsunami may drown, be crushed by debris, or be swept out to sea. Local governments were advised to instruct populations at risk and to follow official instructions.
