A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the southern coast of Mexico on Friday, prompting a tsunami warning across parts of the Pacific before authorities later declared the threat had passed. Officials in Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador reported no deaths or major damage, although the tremor was widely felt and forced evacuations in some areas.
The earthquake occurred near the fishing town of Puerto Madero at 8:49 a.m. local time (14:49 GMT) at a depth of 15.2 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The strong tremor triggered a tsunami warning for nearby coastal areas of Mexico and Guatemala, with authorities urging residents to stay away from beaches as a precaution.
Mexico's navy secretary Admiral Raymundo Morales said there had been "no serious impact", but advised people to avoid the coastline while authorities continued to monitor the situation.
The US Tsunami Warning System initially warned that "hazardous tsunami waves" were possible along parts of the Pacific coast. It later recorded waves measuring 0.3 metres above tide level in Puerto Madero and Chiapas in Mexico.
Several hours after issuing the warning, the centre announced that the tsunami threat had ended but urged people in affected coastal areas to "remain observant and exercise normal caution near the sea".
Governor Salomón Jara Cruz of Oaxaca said the earthquake was felt with "moderate intensity" across the state but that no major damage had been reported.
In neighbouring Chiapas, which is closest to the epicentre, Governor Eduardo Ramírez also said there had been no serious impact. However, he ordered the suspension of administrative activities and called on the private sector to take similar measures as a precaution.
The tremor was also felt across Guatemala and El Salvador, where buildings shook, prompting evacuations as some residents rushed out of their homes, according to Reuters.
Authorities have also recorded several aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 6.
Guatemala's President Bernardo Arévalo said emergency teams had been deployed after a magnitude 5.6 earthquake with its epicentre in Quetzaltenango. He confirmed that no fatalities had been reported.
"I call on the population to remain calm and to follow the recommendations," he said on X.
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which operates the tsunami warning centre, forecast waves of less than 0.3 metres above tide level along the coasts of El Salvador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Honduras.
According to NOAA, a tsunami is a series of waves that can continue for several hours, with the time between wave crests ranging from five minutes to one hour. In Friday's event, the waves lasted for about 12 minutes in Puerto Madero and 28 minutes in Chiapas.
"Persons caught in the water of a tsunami may drown, be crushed by debris in the water, or be swept out to sea," NOAA said.
The agency also urged authorities in threatened coastal areas to guide residents on safety measures, while advising those living near the coast to "stay alert for information and follow instructions from national and local authorities".