Overview
- A powerful offshore earthquake measured between 7.3 and 7.4 struck near Puerto Madero and Aquiles Serdán in Chiapas on Friday, July 17, producing strong surface shaking because the quake was unusually shallow at about 10 km.
- Tsunami warnings and advisories were issued for Mexican and Guatemalan coasts within roughly 300 km of the epicentre while U.S. agencies said U.S. and Canadian Pacific shores were not expected to be affected.
- Dozens of aftershocks were recorded, including several in the mid‑5 to high‑5 range and agency reports of events up to about 6.8, keeping coastal communities on alert and prompting building evacuations.
- Early official inspections in Chiapas, Oaxaca and neighbouring countries found no immediate major damage or fatalities, and authorities have suspended some local activities and ordered checks of hospitals, schools and infrastructure.
- Southern Mexico lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire where the Cocos Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate, a setting that makes shallow offshore quakes likely to cause strong shaking, local tsunami risk and secondary hazards such as landslides.