Magnitude 7.3 earthquake strikes Mexico and Guatemala coasts, tsunami alert issued

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the coasts of Mexico and Guatemala on Friday, its epicentre off Chiapas at about 15 km deep, triggering a tsunami alert for dangerous waves within a 300 km radius. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the coast of the Mexican state of Chiapas on Friday, near the border with Guatemala, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific. The shallow quake was felt strongly in both countries and prompted the evacuation of buildings as authorities assessed possible damage. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the epicentre was off the coast of Puerto Madero in Chiapas, at a depth of around 10 kilometres, a relatively shallow depth that typically results in stronger shaking at the surface. The earthquake was felt across southern Mexico, including in the state of Oaxaca, as well as in parts of Guatemala, where buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Authorities in both countries activated emergency protocols and began assessing whether the quake had caused any structural damage or casualties.