The magnitude 7.3 quake was felt across parts of Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, but no major damage was immediately reported.
TAPACHULA, MX — A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast Friday, shaking communities near the Guatemala border and prompting evacuations, tsunami precautions and emergency inspections across the region.
The earthquake occurred at 8:48 a.m. local time, or 14:48 UTC, about 58 kilometers, or 36 miles, west-southwest of Puerto Madero in Chiapas state, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The agency measured its depth at about 18.6 kilometers, or 12 miles, and assigned the event a yellow alert, indicating the possibility of localized damage. Authorities in Mexico and Guatemala said preliminary reviews had found no deaths, serious injuries or widespread structural damage.
At least five aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 5.1 to 6 followed the main earthquake, according to early USGS data. The repeated shaking kept residents and emergency officials on alert as inspections continued in coastal communities and inland cities. A smaller earthquake was also recorded shortly before the magnitude 7.3 event, though officials had not released a detailed assessment of its relationship to the larger quake.
The main earthquake was felt strongly in Tapachula, one of the largest cities near Mexico’s border with Guatemala. People left hospitals, offices and other buildings as the shaking intensified. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said preliminary assessments had not identified significant damage, while federal, state and local agencies began checking roads, public buildings and other infrastructure.
The shaking reached far beyond Chiapas. Residents reported movement in parts of Oaxaca, Tabasco, Campeche and Mexico City, as well as in Guatemala and El Salvador. Buildings were evacuated in Guatemala City and other areas as emergency protocols were activated. Guatemala’s disaster response agency, CONRED, said it was monitoring the country and checking for possible effects, including landslides and damage to buildings or roads.
Guatemalan officials reported some minor landslides and suspended classes in several departments as a precaution. President Bernardo Arévalo urged the public to remain calm and follow information from emergency authorities. Officials had not announced serious injuries or major destruction by Friday afternoon, though assessments were continuing in communities closer to the epicentral region.
The earthquake also led to coastal precautions because its epicenter was under the Pacific Ocean. Early advisories said waves of up to about 1 meter, or 3 feet, could be possible near portions of the Mexican and Guatemalan coasts. Mexico’s navy later said water-level changes were expected to be smaller but advised people to remain away from beaches for several hours while conditions were monitored.
Officials said the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to the western coasts of the United States or Canada. Mexico’s coastal warnings were precautionary and focused on areas much closer to the epicenter. Authorities continued watching sea levels as the initial tsunami concern eased.
In Mexico City, the public earthquake warning system did not sound before the shaking was felt. Officials said the seismic energy detected during the earthquake’s opening seconds did not cross the system’s activation thresholds. The capital is hundreds of miles from the epicenter, but its soft soils can amplify shaking from distant earthquakes.
Mexico’s southern Pacific coast lies in a highly active seismic region where tectonic plates meet beneath and near the country. Strong earthquakes are common along the coast, making aftershocks and continued inspections an expected part of the emergency response. Scientists can revise an earthquake’s reported magnitude, depth and location as additional seismic data are reviewed.
Emergency agencies in Mexico and Guatemala continued inspections Friday while monitoring the aftershock sequence. Officials said damage reports remained preliminary and asked coastal communities to follow local restrictions as assessments of buildings, roads, slopes and sea conditions continued.
Author note: Last updated July 17, 2026.