Mexico hit by 7.3 quake, no major damage reported

A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico on Friday, briefly triggering tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific, although no deaths or major damage were immediately reported.

The earthquake struck at 8:49 am local time (1449 GMT) near the fishing town of Puerto Madero in the southern state of Chiapas at a depth of 15.2 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Mexican authorities said the quake caused no serious damage but urged residents to stay away from beaches as a precaution.

Navy Secretary Admiral Raymundo Morales told a press conference there had been “no serious impact”, while advising the public to avoid coastal areas until the situation stabilised.

The US Tsunami Warning System initially warned that hazardous tsunami waves could affect the Pacific coasts of Mexico and Guatemala. However, several hours later it lifted the warning, saying the threat had passed while urging people to remain cautious near the sea.

The warning centre recorded tsunami waves of up to 0.3 metres above normal tide levels at Puerto Madero and Chiapas.

In Oaxaca state, Governor Salomón Jara Cruz said the earthquake was felt with moderate intensity but no significant damage had been reported.

Chiapas Governor Eduardo Ramírez, whose state lies closest to the epicentre, also reported no major impact. However, he ordered the suspension of government administrative activities and urged private businesses to do the same as a precaution.

The tremor was also felt across neighbouring Guatemala and El Salvador, where buildings swayed, prompting evacuations and sending residents into the streets.

Several aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 6.0, were recorded following the main earthquake.

Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo said emergency response teams had been deployed after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake centred near Quetzaltenango. He said there had been no reports of fatalities and urged the public to remain calm and follow official guidance.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast small 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 noted that tsunami waves can continue for several hours after a major earthquake. In this event, wave activity lasted about 12 minutes at Puerto Madero and 28 minutes in Chiapas.

Authorities across the region advised residents in coastal areas to stay alert for official updates and follow instructions from emergency services.