Powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes off Mexico, shakes Guatemala & El Salvador

A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico on Friday, July 17, 2026, causing significant tremors across Mexico and Central America. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the quake's epicenter to be approximately 30 miles southwest of Aquiles Serdán, near the coast of Chiapas, at a relatively shallow depth of about 9 to 9.4 miles. This shallow depth contributed to intense shaking felt across southern Mexico, including the states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, as well as in neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador.

The earthquake prompted the U.S. Tsunami Warning System to issue an alert for potentially hazardous tsunami waves along Pacific coasts within 186 to 300 miles of the epicenter, particularly for Mexico and Guatemala, with waves estimated between 0.3 to 1 meter above tide level. Panic ensued in several areas, leading to evacuations from buildings in cities like Tapachula and Tuxtla Gutierrez in Mexico, and Guatemala City, where residents described prolonged shaking.

Despite the strong shaking and initial tsunami warnings, authorities across the affected region, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo, reported no immediate casualties or severe damage. The tsunami threat was subsequently lifted or reduced, although the Mexican Navy advised coastal residents to stay away from beaches for several hours as a precaution. Numerous aftershocks, some registering up to 6.8 magnitude, followed the main earthquake.