Mexico earthquake Highlights: 7.4-magnitude quake jolts Chiapas, Oaxaca, other areas; tsunami alert downgraded

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said initial assessments showed no significant damage following the earthquake but urged residents to remain cautious as inspections continued.

In a post on X, Sheinbaum said she had spoken with the governors of Chiapas and Tabasco, both of whom reported no damage. She added that emergency protocols had been activated in neighboring states.

"The Secretariat of the Navy recommends not approaching those beaches in the next six hours due to tsunami risk. It is important to follow Civil Protection recommendations," she said.

Southern Mexico and parts of Central America are located in a highly active seismic zone and have experienced several devastating earthquakes in recent years.

Earlier this year, a strong earthquake in southern and central Mexico killed two people. In 2017, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck central Mexico, killing hundreds, including many victims in Mexico City.

Following the earthquake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that tsunami waves of up to one meter above normal tide levels were possible along parts of the Mexican and Guatemalan coasts within 300 kilometers of the epicenter.

However, Guatemala's seismology institute later downgraded the tsunami threat, saying conditions remained under control, as per CNN.

Guatemala’s Ministry of Education suspended in-person classes in several departments close to the earthquake’s epicenter, including San Marcos, Quetzaltenango, Suchitepéquez and Retalhuleu.

Officials said the precautionary move was aimed at ensuring the safety of students and staff while authorities assessed possible damage.

In Tapachula, the largest city near Mexico’s southern border, residents reported strong shaking that intensified over several seconds.

In Guatemala City, shaking caused panic among residents. Many people rushed into the streets during morning rush hour, while several buildings were evacuated as a precaution.

The earthquake was preceded by a smaller tremor in the nearby ocean area and was followed by several aftershocks, including at least five measuring between magnitude 5.1 and 6, the USGS said.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake’s epicenter was located about 48 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Aquiles Serdán in Chiapas, Mexico, near the Pacific coastline. The quake occurred at a depth of around 15 kilometers (9 miles).

Governor Salomón Jara said the tremor was experienced with moderate intensity in Oaxaca City but that no serious damage had been reported immediately after the quake.

Areas affected in Chiapas include:

-Puerto Madero, near the epicentre

-Tapachula, where residents evacuated homes, offices and hospitals as the tremor intensified

-Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital, where people rushed out of buildings amid scenes of panic

-Suchiate, on the Guatemala border, where authorities began monitoring the coastline for possible tsunami activity

As of Friday:

No deaths have been reported.

No major structural damage has been confirmed.

Officials urged residents to stay away from beaches and other low-lying coastal areas until authorities determine there is no tsunami threat.

In Suchiate, local officials said coastal areas were being closely monitored for any abnormal sea-level activity.

Following the earthquake, the US Tsunami Warning System and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued tsunami alerts.

Authorities warned that hazardous tsunami waves could affect coastlines within approximately 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the epicentre.

Areas under tsunami threat include:

-Pacific coastline of Chiapas

-Coastal areas of Oaxaca

-Pacific coastal regions near the Mexico-Guatemala border

-Nearby Pacific coastlines of Guatemala

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of southern Mexico on Friday, sending strong tremors across parts of Mexico and Central America and prompting tsunami warnings for nearby coastlines.

The quake, which struck near Puerto Madero in the southern state of Chiapas at a depth of around 10 kilometres, was felt hundreds of kilometres away in Guatemala, El Salvador, and even parts of Mexico City.