Magnitude 7.3 quake hits Southern Mexico, another in Turkey

A powerful earthquake struck Mexico’s southern Pacific coast on Friday, close to the border with Guatemala, sending tremors across a wide area of Central America.

Hours later, a separate earthquake was recorded in eastern Turkey, although officials there also reported no immediate casualties or significant damage.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Mexican earthquake measured magnitude 7.3. The epicentre was located around 48 kilometres south-west of Aquiles Serdán, off the coast of Chiapas, at a depth of approximately 15 kilometres.

The shaking was felt across southern Mexico, including parts of the capital, Mexico City, and extended into neighbouring countries such as Guatemala and El Salvador.

Authorities in the affected areas began assessing the situation shortly after the earthquake, but early reports indicated there had been no serious damage or loss of life.

The main earthquake was preceded by a smaller offshore tremor, which occurred further out in the Pacific Ocean before the stronger shock struck.

Mexico is one of the world’s most seismically active countries because it lies along the boundary of several tectonic plates. Large earthquakes are relatively common, particularly along the Pacific coastline, where the movement of these plates frequently generates powerful seismic activity.

Meanwhile, in Turkey, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck the Battalgazi district of Malatya province early on Saturday morning.

Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) said the earthquake occurred at 6:20am local time (0320 GMT) and was felt across several neighbouring provinces, including Elazığ, Adıyaman, Tunceli and Şanlıurfa.

In a statement, AFAD said, "There had been no reports of injuries or damage following the tremor. Emergency teams remained in the affected areas to continue inspections and monitor the situation.”

Turkey also experiences frequent earthquakes because it sits on several major geological fault lines. The country has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent decades, making rapid emergency assessments a routine part of its disaster response.

Officials in both Mexico and Turkey are continuing to monitor conditions, although there have so far been no indications of widespread destruction or casualties following either earthquake.