Mexico City, July 17 (SANA)A powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Chiapas state in southern Mexico on Friday, prompting a tsunami warning that was later canceled, with authorities reporting no major damage or casualties.

The earthquake struck at 8:48 a.m. local time (14:48 GMT), with its epicenter located about 135 kilometers southwest of Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala, at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to Mexico’s National Seismological Service.

Mexico’s Naval Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami alert after analyzing sea-level behavior in coastal areas near the epicenter, confirming that “no significant variations” were expected. However, authorities advised people to stay away from beaches due to strong currents that could affect maritime activities.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System had earlier warned that hazardous waves could reach coasts within 300 kilometers of the epicenter.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said that, after speaking with the governors of Chiapas and Tabasco, no material damage or casualties had been reported. “After the 7.4 magnitude earthquake southwest of Huixtla and the ones recorded in Ciudad Hidalgo, I spoke with the governors of Chiapas and Tabasco, states that report no damage so far. Protocols are activated in neighboring states,” Sheinbaum wrote on X.

Chiapas Governor Eduardo Ramírez said “so far we have nothing to lament,” while Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara said the earthquake was felt with “moderate intensity” in the state capital, with no significant damage reported.

Aftershocks and regional impact

Authorities reported about 80 aftershocks as of midday Friday, the largest measuring 6.5 in magnitude. Minor damage was reported in Chiapas, including structural cracks in some buildings. Two people were injured in Tapachula — one after jumping from a third floor during the quake, and another hurt by a falling door.

The tremors were felt as far away as Guatemala and El Salvador, where residents evacuated buildings but authorities reported no casualties or significant damage.

Mexico is one of the world’s most seismically active countries, lying within the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone encircling the Pacific Ocean characterized by frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity linked to tectonic plate movements.

The quake struck in one of Mexico’s most seismically active regions, where the Cocos Plate dives beneath the North American Plate, making southern Mexico particularly vulnerable to strong earthquakes and offshore events that may generate tsunamis.