A powerful earthquake struck southern Mexico on Friday, shaking neighboring countries Guatemala and El Salvador, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measured a preliminary magnitude of 7.3.
The epicenter of the quake was located 48 kilometers southwest of Acres Cerdan, a town in Chiapas state on Mexico’s coast, the USGS said.
The earthquake appears to have caused moderate to severe shaking along the coast. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that dangerous tsunamis could occur within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. According to the center, tsunami waves of up to 1 meter above the tide level could hit the coasts of Guatemala and Mexico.
Mexico’s Navy Secretary Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles said there were “no problems” in the country after the earthquake.
“There is no serious damage. Regarding the maritime situation, the earthquake is expected to cause water levels on some coasts to rise by up to half a meter. The public is advised to stay away from the coast for the time being,” Morales Ángeles said at the end of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
Salomon Jara Cruz, governor of Mexico’s Oaxaca state, said the quake was felt in the state capital “with moderate strength” and that “no serious damage was reported.”
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said no deaths had yet been reported and emergency response plans were being rolled out.
El Salvador’s fire department also reported that no damage has been confirmed in the country so far.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
