Severe Earthquake Strikes Mexico’s Southern Pacific Coast

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck the southern Mexican Pacific coast on Friday, right on the border with Guatemala. The earthquake was felt from Mexico City to El Salvador, causing widespread panic and alarm among the population.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3 with the epicenter located 48 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Aquiles Serdan, near the coast of Chiapas, at a depth of 15 kilometers (9 miles). It was preceded by a smaller quake with an epicenter a bit farther out in the ocean.

In Tapachula, the main city on Mexico’s southern border, the tremor began mildly but gradually intensified. Many residents evacuated their homes in an orderly manner, taking shelter in the front courtyards of their buildings. Alejandra Mendoza, an administrative employee at a public hospital in the city, described the experience: ‘We were upstairs on the second floor when it started shaking; we thought it would pass, but then it got stronger, so we all went downstairs and evacuated in an orderly manner to the front courtyard.’

In Guatemala City, the earthquake frightened residents due to its prolonged duration. Many people poured into the streets in the middle of rush hour, as the workday was beginning. The earthquake’s impact was also felt in the Mexican capital, where buildings in certain areas creaked and shook.

However, the earthquake alert did not sound in Mexico City because, according to the government, ‘the energy radiated by the earthquake during the first few seconds did not exceed the activation thresholds.’

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated that preliminary reports showed no damage. The navy recommended staying away from beaches for six hours due to the risk of a tsunami. Coastal areas in the town of Suchiate, located along the river that separates Mexico from Guatemala, were being monitored for tsunami risk, according to Mayor Elmer Vázquez Gallardo.

The region is prone to earthquakes, many of which can be deadly. Earlier this year, a strong earthquake rattled southern and central Mexico, killing two people. Hundreds in Mexico City were killed in a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 2017.