Tapachula (Mexico): A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific coast near the Mexico-Guatemala border on Friday and was felt across parts of Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. Authorities in the affected countries have not reported any major damage or casualties so far.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake measured 7.3 on the Richter scale and was centred 48 kilometres southwest of Aquiles Serdán, near the coast of Mexico's Chiapas state, at a depth of 15 kilometres. It was preceded by a smaller offshore tremor.
In Suchiate, a town along the river marking the Mexico-Guatemala border, authorities began monitoring coastal areas for any tsunami threat, Mayor Elmer Vázquez Gallardo said.
In Tapachula, the largest city in southern Chiapas, residents said the shaking started mildly before becoming significantly stronger.
"We were upstairs on the second floor when it started shaking. We thought it would pass, but then it became stronger, so we all went downstairs and evacuated in an orderly manner to the front courtyard," Alejandra Mendoza, an administrative employee at a public hospital, told The Associated Press.
In Guatemala City, the prolonged shaking prompted many residents to rush out of buildings during the morning rush hour.
The tremor was also felt in Mexico City, where buildings swayed in some neighbourhoods. However, the capital's earthquake early warning system was not activated because, according to the government, "the energy radiated by the earthquake during the first few seconds did not exceed the activation thresholds."
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, but no immediate reports of significant damage, injuries or fatalities have emerged.
