A powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico's southern state of Chiapas on Friday morning, sending tremors across parts of Central America and briefly triggering a tsunami warning for sections of the Pacific coast. No fatalities or significant structural damage have been reported in any of the affected countries, though the quake prompted widespread evacuations and scenes of panic in several cities.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the epicentre approximately 48 kilometres southwest of the town of Aquiles Serdán, at a shallow depth of around 15 kilometres offshore. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause stronger shaking at the surface, and residents felt the tremors intensely across Chiapas and the neighbouring state of Oaxaca, as well as in Guatemala and El Salvador. In Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital of Chiapas, people fled tall buildings in panic. In Tapachula, the largest Mexican city near the Guatemalan border, the shaking began mildly before intensifying, forcing evacuations. In Guatemala City — the Guatemalan capital — hundreds of residents rushed into the streets during the evening rush hour, with some citing fresh anxieties following Venezuela's recent deadly twin earthquakes in late June. Mexico City, more than 800 kilometres from the epicentre, saw some buildings sway and prompted precautionary evacuations, though the country's seismic alert system was not triggered because initial energy readings did not meet activation thresholds.

The US Tsunami Warning System initially warned of potentially hazardous waves along the coasts of Mexico and Guatemala, with forecasts of waves between 30 centimetres and one metre. Waves of approximately 0.3 metres above tide level were ultimately recorded at Puerto Madero and along the Chiapas coast, lasting between 12 and 28 minutes. Lower-level advisories were also issued for several other Pacific nations, including El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Colombia and Honduras. Authorities confirmed the threat had passed within hours, though residents were urged to stay away from beaches and remain alert. Mexican Navy Secretary Admiral Raymundo Morales stated there was