Magnitude 7.3 earthquake strikes off Mexico coast
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico on Friday, prompting tsunami warnings for parts of the Pacific coastline.
Authorities in Mexico and Guatemala said there were no immediate reports of deaths or major damage, although the tremor was also felt in El Salvador.
Mexico’s Navy Secretary, Admiral Raymundo Morales, said initial assessments indicated there had been no serious impact, but urged residents and visitors to avoid beaches as a precaution.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System warned that tsunami waves of between 0.3 and 1 metre above normal tide levels could affect sections of the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Guatemala.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 8:49 a.m. local time near the fishing town of Puerto Madero at a depth of 15.2 kilometres.
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz said the quake was felt with moderate intensity across the state, adding that no significant damage had been reported.
The tremor also shook buildings in Guatemala and El Salvador, prompting evacuations and causing some residents to flee their homes.
Several aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 6.0, were recorded following the initial quake.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said emergency response teams had been deployed after a separate magnitude 5.6 earthquake centred in Quetzaltenango, noting that no fatalities had been reported.
He urged the public to remain calm and follow official safety instructions.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also forecast smaller tsunami waves of less than 0.3 metres along the Pacific coasts of El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Honduras.
NOAA cautioned that tsunamis can generate multiple waves over several hours, posing risks of drowning, injury from debris and being swept out to sea.
The agency advised residents in affected coastal areas to remain alert and follow directions issued by local and national emergency authorities.
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