Magnitude 7.4 quake hits Mexican coast near Guatemala, triggers tsunami threat


GUATEMALA CITY, July ⁠17 (Reuters) - A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck near ⁠the coast of Mexico's southern state of ‌Chiapas on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning and shaking buildings in neighboring Guatemala and El Salvador.

No damage was immediately reported ​by authorities.

The quake, which struck near ⁠the Mexican town of ⁠Puerto Madero, was at a shallow depth of 10 ⁠km (6 ‌miles), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Following the tremor, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System ⁠warned that hazardous tsunami waves were possible ​along coasts located ‌within 300 km (186 miles) of the epicenter.

In ⁠Guatemala City, ​the earthquake shook buildings and prompted some residents to dash from their homes on to the street, according ⁠to a Reuters witness. Local media ​in Guatemala showed footage of staff evacuating a government building as security protocols were activated.

The tremor was ⁠also felt in El Salvador, another Reuters witness said.

In the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, Governor Salomon Jara said on social media that the earthquake ​was felt with moderate intensity in ⁠the state's capital, but no serious damage was ​immediately reported.

(Reporting by Sofia Menchu ‌in Guatemala and Gerardo Arbaiza ​in San Salvador, Writing by Natalia Siniawski, Editing by Daina Beth Solomon and Chizu Nomiyama)

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