A strong earthquake hits the border between Mexico and Guatemala, triggering a temporary tsunami warning

A powerful earthquake struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Friday, right on the border with Guatemala, and was felt from Mexico City to El Salvador. The authorities did not immediately announce any serious damage or casualties in any country, and the tsunami warning was lifted about an hour after the earthquake.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the magnitude of the quake was 7.3 and its epicenter was 30 miles southwest of Aquiles Cerdán, near the coast of Chiapas, at a depth of 9 miles. It was preceded by a smaller earthquake centered a little further out in the ocean.

There were at least five aftershocks, ranging in magnitude between 5.1 and 6, according to the US Geological Survey.

In Tapachula, the main city on Mexico’s southern border, the earthquake started mildly but gradually intensified.

“We were upstairs on the second floor when the quake started shaking; we thought it would pass, but then it intensified, so we all went downstairs and were evacuated in an organized way to the front yard,” Alejandra Mendoza, an administrative employee at a public hospital in the city, told the Associated Press.

In Guatemala City, the earthquake caused panic among residents because of the duration it lasted. Many people poured into the streets in the middle of rush hour as the work day began.

People evacuate a building after a powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, triggering a tsunami warning and shaking buildings in neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador, in San Salvador, El Salvador, July 17, 2026. REUTERS/Jose Cabezas

In the Mexican capital, where buildings shook in some areas, no earthquake warning was issued because “the energy radiated by the earthquake during the first few seconds did not exceed activation thresholds.”

The US Tsunami Warning System initially warned of the possibility of dangerous tsunami waves along coastlines located 186 miles from the epicenter but later said the threat had passed.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said initial reports showed no damage. The Navy recommended staying away from beaches for six hours due to the risk of a tsunami.

The Chiapas Meteorological Service initially warned of the possibility of tsunami waves up to 3.3 feet high off the coast of Mexico and Guatemala.

In the town of Suchiate, located along the river that separates Mexico from Guatemala, coastal areas are being monitored for the risk of a tsunami, according to the city’s mayor, Elmer Vasquez Gallardo.

The region is prone to earthquakes, many of which can be deadly. Earlier this year, a powerful earthquake struck southern and central Mexico, killing two people. Hundreds were killed in Mexico City in a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 2017.

Friday’s earthquake comes as Venezuela struggles to get back on its feet after the twin earthquakes that struck on June 24 killed more than 4,800 people and caused the collapse of hundreds of buildings in the coastal state of La Guaira.

Agence France-Presse contributed to the preparation of this report.

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