A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off the coast of southern Mexico on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning in parts of the Pacific Ocean.
Mexico and Guatemala reported no deaths or significant damage in the earthquake, which was also felt in El Salvador.
Mexico’s Navy Minister, Adm. Raimundo Morales, told a news conference that there was “no major impact” but people were advised to stay away from beaches.
The US tsunami warning system warned of possible “dangerous tsunami waves” along the nearby coasts of Mexico and Guatemala. Waves as high as 0.3 m (1.1 ft) above high tide were later recorded in Puerto Madero and Chiapas in Mexico.
Hours after the first warning, the center said the threat had passed but advised people in affected areas to “remain alert and exercise normal caution near the sea.”
The earthquake, which struck near the fishing town of Puerto Madero in Mexico at 08:49 local time (1449 GMT) on Friday, had a depth of 15.2 km (9 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The governor of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, Salomon Jara Cruz, said the earthquake was felt at “moderate intensity” but no significant damage was reported.
Eduardo Ramirez, the governor of Chiapas, the state closest to the epicenter, also said there had been no major impact, but added that he had instructed his cabinet to suspend administrative activities and urged the private sector to do the same.
In Guatemala and El Salvador, the earthquake shook buildings, prompting evacuations and forcing some people to flee their homes, Reuters reported.
A series of aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 4.7 to 6 were recorded.