A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck Mexico's western coast near the Pacific resort city of Acapulco on Friday, killing at least two people and triggering more than 500 aftershocks that have kept residents on edge.
The earthquake's epicenter was located near the town of San Marcos in the southern state of Guerrero, according to Mexico's national seismological agency. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at a depth of 21.7 miles (35 kilometers), approximately 57 miles northeast of Acapulco.
The tremor was strong enough to interrupt President Claudia Sheinbaum's first press briefing of the new year as seismic alarms sounded throughout Mexico City, located hundreds of miles from the epicenter. The president paused her remarks as the building swayed and alarms blared across the capital.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado confirmed that a 50-year-old woman died when her home collapsed in a small community near the epicenter. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada reported a second fatality—a person who suffered an apparent medical emergency followed by a fall while evacuating a building during the shaking.
The earthquake caused significant structural damage across the region. A hospital in Chilpancingo, Guerrero's capital, suffered major structural damage, forcing authorities to evacuate patients to safer facilities. The state's civil defense agency reported various landslides around Acapulco and on highways throughout Guerrero.
The series of more than 500 aftershocks has complicated recovery efforts and kept residents fearful of entering damaged structures. Many families spent the night outdoors, unwilling to return to homes they fear may not be structurally sound.
The earthquake occurred within the Mexican Subduction Zone, where the oceanic crust of the Cocos Plate is moving northeast and sinking beneath the continental crust of southern Mexico at a rate of about 6-7 centimeters per year. This geological process makes the region particularly susceptible to significant seismic activity.
Mexican authorities have deployed emergency response teams to the affected areas and are conducting damage assessments throughout Guerrero state. The federal government has pledged support for reconstruction efforts and temporary housing for displaced families.
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