Strong earthquake hits Mexico-Guatemala border, prompting temporary tsunami warning

A powerful earthquake struck the southern Pacific coast of Mexico on Friday, right on the border with Guatemala, and was felt from Mexico City to El Salvador. Authorities did not immediately report major damage or injuries in either country and a tsunami warning was lifted about an hour after the quake.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.3 with an epicenter 30 kilometers southwest of Aquiles Serdan, near the coast of Chiapas and at a depth of 9 miles. It was preceded by a small earthquake with an episode from far out at sea.

There were at least five earthquakes between magnitude 5.1 and 6, according to the USGS.

In Tapachula, a large city on the southern border of Mexico, the tremors started slowly but gradually grew stronger.

“We were upstairs on the second floor when the shaking started; we thought it would pass, but then it got stronger, so we all went down and exited in an orderly manner to the front yard,” Alejandra Mendoza, an administrative worker at a public hospital in the city, explained to the Associated Press.

In Guatemala City, the earthquake shocked residents because of how long it lasted. Many people flocked to the streets during rush hour as the working day began.

In the capital of Mexico, where the buildings in some areas shook and shook, the earthquake warning was not heard because, the government said, “the energy transmitted by the earthquake during the first few seconds did not exceed the opening limits.”

The US Tsunami Warning System initially warned that dangerous tsunami waves could occur along the coast within 186 miles of the disaster site but later said the threat had passed.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said initial reports showed no damage. The navy recommended a six-hour stay away from beaches due to the risk of a tsunami.

The Meteorological Service of Chiapas first warned that there may be tsunami waves of up to 3.3 meters from the coast of Mexico and Guatemala.

In the city of Suchiate, which is located on the river that separates Mexico from Guatemala, the coastal areas are closely monitored so that they are not at risk of a tsunami, according to Mayor Elmer Vázquez Gallardo.

The area is prone to earthquakes, many of which can be fatal. Earlier this year, a powerful earthquake struck southern and central Mexico, killing two. Hundreds in Mexico City were killed in a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in 2017.

Friday’s earthquake comes as Venezuela is struggling to recover after the twin earthquakes on June 24 killed more than 4,800 people and caused hundreds of buildings on the coast of La Guaira to collapse.