A powerful earthquake shakes southern Mexico and Guatemala and activates tsunami alert in the Pacific

A powerful earthquake has shaken the coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas this Friday and has been strongly felt in Guatemala and El Salvador. The movement has activated emergency protocols and a warning for the possible arrival of dangerous waves at several points along the Pacific coast.

The United States Geological Survey initially placed the magnitude at 7.4, and updates later appeared that lowered it to 7.3. The National Seismological Service of Mexico, for its part, offered a preliminary calculation of 6.8, a common difference during the first minutes of a large earthquake while agencies review their station records.

The earthquake occurred at 8:48 AM in Mexico, 4:48 PM in peninsular Spain. Its epicenter was located offshore, off Chiapas and near Puerto Madero, a short distance from the border with Guatemala. The calculated depth is between ten and fifteen kilometers, which places the hypocenter very close to the surface.

Authorities search for possible damages

The National Civil Protection Coordination of Mexico has established communication with state and municipal units and with the members of the National Emergency Committee. The first teams are reviewing homes, roads, public facilities, and essential services in the areas near the epicenter.

So far, Mexican and Guatemalan authorities have not reported any casualties or material damages of particular severity. This is still an initial assessment that may change as teams access coastal and rural communities.

The governor of Oaxaca, Salomón Jara, has reported that the movement was felt with moderate intensity in the state capital. The initial surveys had also not found serious damage in that region.

The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced that her Government will provide official information once the first reviews are completed. The priority is to check the status of the Chiapas populations closest to the epicenter and maintain vigilance over the coast.

Tsunami risk within a 300-kilometer radius

The US tsunami alert system has warned that dangerous waves could occur on coasts located within a 300-kilometer radius around the epicenter. The warning mainly affects the coast of Chiapas and the Guatemalan Pacific coast.

An alert of these characteristics indicates the existence of a potential threat. The appearance of large waves depends on the displacement produced on the seabed and the way in which the energy reaches each point of the coast.

The Secretary of the Navy of Mexico, Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, explained in an initial assessment that a sea level variation close to half a meter was expected and that there was no record of serious damage. Authorities have asked to maintain precautions and consult only information disseminated by Civil Protection and maritime agencies.

The population of coastal areas must follow the instructions of local authorities, avoid unnecessary travel to beaches and ports, and respect any preventive evacuation order that may be issued. The risk can remain for several hours after the main movement, even if the first wave is low.

Earthquake felt in Guatemala and El Salvador

The tremor shook buildings in Guatemala City and led many residents to leave their homes and workplaces. Preventive evacuations were also carried out in public dependencies while emergency services checked the condition of the buildings.

The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction of Guatemala maintains monitoring of seismic activity together with Insivumeh and municipal authorities. The agency has asked the population to stay away from windows, shelves, and objects that could fall.

Conred recommends checking homes, identifying possible cracks or structural damage, and remaining aware of aftershocks. Emergencies can be reported in Guatemala using the number 119.

The movement was also felt in El Salvador, especially in the western areas of the country. Initial reports did not record significant damage, although emergency services continued to gather information from areas closest to the Guatemalan border.

A shallow earthquake near a densely populated area

The proximity of the hypocenter to the surface explains why the movement could be felt at a great distance. Shallow earthquakes usually transmit their energy more intensely to buildings and the ground, although the extent of the damage also depends on the distance to the epicenter and the quality of the constructions.

Puerto Madero is a port and fishing town on the Mexican Pacific located in the municipality of Tapachula. The area maintains significant maritime activity and is close to numerous coastal communities in Mexico and Guatemala.

Southern Mexico and a large part of Central America form one of the regions with the highest seismic activity on the continent. In this strip, the Cocos, North American, and Caribbean plates converge, whose displacement periodically releases large amounts of energy.

Specialists expect aftershocks to occur during the next hours or days. Their magnitude is usually lower than that of the main earthquake, although they can worsen damage to weakened buildings.

The authorities of Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador keep their surveillance systems active while the inspection of the territory continues. The balance will remain open until emergency teams complete reviews in the coastal towns closest to the epicenter.

This breaking news is being updated. The editorial team of ElConstitucional.es is working to expand the news and offer you the best information.