A tsunami alert has been issued following a significant 7.4 magnitude earthquake that hit the regions near Mexico and Guatemala. Residents within 300km of the quake’s epicenter, located off the coast of Puerto Madero in Chiapas, are advised to be prepared. The tremor was felt in Guatemala, prompting evacuations in Guatemala City. The earthquake, occurring at a depth of 10km, could potentially generate dangerous tsunami waves along the coastlines. The seismic event struck at 8.48am local time southwest of Huixtla, Chiapas, according to the National Seismological Service.
Authorities, including the National Coordination of Civil Protection, are coordinating with local units to assess potential damages resulting from the earthquake. Reports indicate that people were evacuated onto the streets in Guatemala, and the quake’s effects were also felt in El Salvador and Mexico. Both US and Mexican tsunami warning centers have issued alerts. The earthquake’s epicenter lies 71km west-southwest of Puerto Madero, situated between Mexico and Guatemala, which are known to be seismically active due to the convergence of multiple tectonic plates beneath their territories.
The Caribbean, North American, Pacific, Rivera, and Cocos plates in the region interact continuously, posing a heightened earthquake risk. Officials have cautioned that hazardous tsunami waves could affect coasts within 300km of the earthquake’s epicenter off the coast of Puerto Madero in Chiapas, Mexico.