MEXICO CITY — Mexican authorities reported no immediate damage after a strong earthquake shook the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the southern state of Chiapas, causing tremors hundreds of kilometers away in Mexico City.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.3, occurred at 8:48 a.m. Mexico City time, with the epicenter about 30 miles southwest of the city of Huixtla, in the state of Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala. The earthquake had a depth of 15 kilometers, according to the study.
Reports in Chiapas indicated a series of aftershocks as panicked residents left their homes as a precaution.
A video on social media in the southern state showed people gathering in the streets amid a sense of uncertainty.
Chiapas authorities suspended official activities and activated the alert for a potential tsunami, according to reports.
News of the earthquake broke as President Claudia Sheinbaum was finishing her usual morning press conference. In a post after
Mexico's Navy Secretary Raymundo Pedro Morales told reporters there were no immediate signs of damage.
Authorities recommended that people avoid beaches in the two states due to the potential tsunami risk.
Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez Vidal contributed.
