Magnitude 7.3 earthquake strikes off Mexico-Guatemala border

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Chiapas, Mexico, near Guatemala, on July 17, 2026. The shallow quake, caused by the Cocos plate subducting under the North America plate, was felt in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador. A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted, with minimal wave impact. While no fatalities or major damage were reported, minor injuries and structural damage occurred in Chiapas.

Earthquake magnitude measurement

• ▪The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 15.2 kilometers (9.4 miles), a factor that can amplify shaking
• ▪At least five aftershocks with magnitudes between 5.1 and 6.0 were recorded following the main earthquake
• ▪A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck off the coast of Mexico and Guatemala on July 17, 2026
• ▪The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) revised the earthquake's magnitude down to 7.3 from an initial assessment of 7.4

Epicenter location details

• ▪The earthquake struck at 8:48 a.m. local time on July 17, 2026
• ▪The U.S. Geological Survey located the epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, 48 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Aquiles Serdán, Mexico
• ▪Shaking from the earthquake was felt across southern Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador, and as far as Mexico City

Tsunami threat assessment

• ▪The tsunami warning projected potential wave heights of 0.3 to 1 meter above tide level for coasts in Mexico and Guatemala
• ▪A tsunami warning was issued for coasts within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the earthquake's epicenter
• ▪Several hours after the earthquake, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System announced the tsunami threat had passed
• ▪Mexico's Secretary of the Navy, Raymundo Morales, predicted that tsunami-related water level rises would not exceed half a meter

Tectonic plate subduction zone

• ▪The earthquake was a thrust quake caused by the Cocos tectonic plate subducting, or sliding, beneath the North America plate
• ▪The Cocos plate subducts beneath the North America plate at a rate of approximately 76 mm per year in this region

Historical seismic activity

• ▪A magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck the same region in September 2017
• ▪Since 2000, the region has experienced at least eight earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.0 or greater

Infrastructure damage evaluation

• ▪In Guatemala, the earthquake caused damaged building facades and other unspecified collapses
• ▪In Mexico's Chiapas state, at least three people were injured, and minor structural damage, including collapsed walls and gas leaks, was reported
• ▪The prolonged shaking caused residents and office workers to evacuate buildings and gather in the streets in cities across the affected region
• ▪Mexico City's earthquake alert did not sound because the initial seismic energy did not exceed activation thresholds
• ▪Authorities in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador reported no immediate fatalities or major damage following the earthquake