Southern Mexico hit by 7.3 earth quake, triggering tsunami alert
Quake off Aquiles Serdan sparks regional panic, but authorities report no casualties
Tuxtla Gutiirrez: Southern Mexico and parts of Central America were hit by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake on Friday, according to the US Geological Service (USGS), with a tsunami alert issued for a stretch of the Pacific coast.
Residents felt intense tremors in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Oaxaca as well as in Guatemala and El Salvador, AFP journalists confirmed. The authorities haven't reported any victims.
According to the USGS, the earthquake took place 48 kilometers off the coast of the Mexican town of Aquiles Serdan, at a depth of just 18 kilometers.
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The US National Oceanic and Atmosphere Association (NOAA) issued a tsunami threat alert following the earthquake.
In Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of the state of Chiapas, there were scenes of panic in the few tall buildings of the city, according to an AFP journalist in the area.
"There are no serious effects," the Secretary of the Marines, Raymundo Morales, said at the end of the presidential press conference on Friday.
Local residents were urged to retreat from the beach in case of any tsunami wave.
