A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurred on Friday near the coast of Mexico's southern state of Chiapas, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the tremor struck in the vicinity of Puerto Madero at a shallow depth of 6 miles.
In response to the seismic event, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System alerted that hazardous tsunami waves were possible for coastal areas located within 186 miles of the epicenter. While the seismic activity was significant, there were no immediate reports of damage from officials in the affected regions.
The earthquake was felt beyond the Mexican border, with tremors shaking buildings in both Guatemala and El Salvador. In Guatemala City, the shaking prompted residents to flee their homes, and local media captured footage of government staff evacuating buildings as security protocols were implemented. Meanwhile, in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, Governor Salomon Jara stated on social media that the quake was felt with moderate intensity in the state capital, though he confirmed no serious damage had been documented in the immediate aftermath.
The tremor was also felt in El Salvador, another Reuters witness said.
(Reporting by Sofia Menchu in Guatemala and Gerardo Arbaiza in San Salvador, Writing by Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Chizu Nomiyama)
