A significant earthquake, registering 6.4 on the Richter scale, shook the border region between Mexico and Guatemala early Sunday morning, prompting frightened residents to seek safety in the streets.
The quake occurred just before 6 a.m. near the Mexican town of Suchiate, located along a river that serves as the border between the two countries. Its epicentre was situated off the Pacific coast, approximately 16 km west-southwest of Brisas Barra de Suchiate, where the river meets the sea. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake had a preliminary depth of 75 km.
In Mexico, initial reports did not indicate any damage, although the more remote and mountainous areas along the border are susceptible to landslides. Across the border in Guatemala, the national disaster prevention agency shared images of minor landslides on highways in the Quetzaltenango region and observed cracks in walls at a hospital in San Marcos. However, there were no reports of fatalities.
In Tapachula, civil defence teams were deployed to assess any potential damage, but officials reported no significant impacts so far. Didier Solares from Suchiate's Civil Defense agency expressed relief, stating that no damage had been found thus far.
Despite the absence of damage, the earthquake caused alarm among residents, particularly in towns like San Cristobal and Tuxtla Chico, where the shaking was notably strong. The earthquake triggered seismic alert systems, alerting residents before the quake hit.
Later on Sunday, a swarm of small earthquakes occurred in Mexico's northern state of Baja California, near the US border. Although the largest quake measured 4.6 magnitude, no immediate damage was reported in the sparsely populated region. These earthquakes were not believed to be related to the quake near Suchiate.
