Strong 6.5-Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Acapulco and Central Mexico

 A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico early Friday morning, sending shockwaves from the Pacific resort city of Acapulco to the nation’s capital and disrupting official events as people rushed into the streets in alarm.

The quake struck at 7:58 a.m. local time with its epicenter near San Marcos, in the southern state of Guerrero, placing it about 57 miles northeast of Acapulco. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the tremor was centered at a depth of roughly 21.7 miles (35 kilometers) underground — shallow enough to be strongly felt over a wide region.

Ordinary routines were instantly disrupted. In Mexico City, high-rise buildings swayed, alarms wailed and residents spilled onto the streets seeking safety as the ground rolled beneath them. Many felt the quake despite being more than 280 kilometers from its center, a testament to the reach of seismic waves in this geologically active region.

The quake even interrupted President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first press briefing of the year in Mexico City. Seismic alarms sounded, prompting a brief evacuation of the room before she and attendees resumed the event just minutes later. Sheinbaum spoke with Guerrero’s governor, Evelyn Salgado, who reported no immediate serious structural damage in the state.

Local officials and residents shared moments of fear and relief. José Raymundo Díaz Taboada, a human rights advocate living near Acapulco, said he heard a deep rumble followed by the quake itself, prompting a flood of cellphone seismic alerts just before the shaking began. Although the tremors were intense, he noted they were less severe than some past earthquakes he’s experienced — yet still enough to send people running outdoors.

In Guerrero state, civil defense teams reported landslides blocking roads and highway stretches near Acapulco, though there were no immediate reports of widespread destruction or fatalities. Communication in some remote areas, particularly along the Costa Chica region southeast of Acapulco, was disrupted in the quake’s aftermath.

Emergency systems and early warning alerts played a crucial role in giving people precious seconds to move to safer locations, a reminder of Mexico’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its earthquake preparedness after past devastating quakes in the country’s history.

Authorities continue assessing conditions in the hardest-hit areas, and residents remain on alert for possible aftershocks and lingering impacts in the days ahead.