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In the morning of Friday July 17th, 2026, a significant M5.1 aftershock hit in the North Pacific Ocean 60 kilometer from Tapachula, Mexico. Guatemala is also near its epicenter.

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Earthquake Summary

This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 33 kilometers (20 mi) off the coast of Mexico, 60 kilometer southwest of Tapachula in Chiapas. The center of this earthquake had a quite shallow depth of 65 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.

Date and Time: Jul 17, 2026 10:01 (Mexico City Time)
- Jul 17, 2026 16:01 Universal Time.
Location: 60 km SW of Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico.
Coordinates 14°27'51"N 92°35'1"W.
Map: Map of area around epicenter.
Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude: MAG 5.1
Detected by 283 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.034 .
Depth: 65 km (40 mi)
A quite shallow depth.
Tsunami Risk: Low tsunami risk
Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's.
Always stay cautious - More info here.

Nearby towns and cities

2 countries can be found within 300km of the epicenter of this earthquake: Mexico and Guatemala .

Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 60 kilometer (37 mi) southwest of Tapachula.

Multiple large cities are in proximity of today's earthquake. Guatemala City is located 224 km to the east. Tapachula is located 60 km to the north-east. Mixco is located 214 km to the east.

The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.

Overview of nearby places

Distance Place
60 km (37 mi)
NE from epicenter
Tapachula

Chiapas, Mexico.
74 km (46 mi)
NE from epicenter
Cacahoatán

Chiapas, Mexico.
76 km (47 mi)
N from epicenter
Huixtla

Chiapas, Mexico.
82 km (51 mi)
E from epicenter
Coatepeque

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
96 km (60 mi)
E from epicenter
Colomba

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
97 km (60 mi)
E from epicenter
Nuevo San Carlos

Retalhuleu, Guatemala.
98 km (61 mi)
E from epicenter
Retalhuleu

Retalhuleu, Guatemala.
101 km (63 mi)
NE from epicenter
San Marcos

San Marcos, Guatemala.
105 km (65 mi)
NE from epicenter
San Pedro Sacatepéquez

San Marcos, Guatemala.
107 km (66 mi)
N from epicenter
Motozintla

Chiapas, Mexico.
110 km (68 mi)
E from epicenter
El Palmar

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
113 km (70 mi)
N from epicenter
Mapastepec

Chiapas, Mexico.
113 km (70 mi)
NE from epicenter
Ostuncalco

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
113 km (70 mi)
NE from epicenter
Comitancillo

San Marcos, Guatemala.
117 km (73 mi)
E from epicenter
Mazatenango

Suchitepeque, Guatemala.
119 km (74 mi)
NE from epicenter
La Esperanza

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
122 km (76 mi)
E from epicenter
Quetzaltenango

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
123 km (76 mi)
E from epicenter
San Pablo Jocopilas

Suchitepeque, Guatemala.
127 km (79 mi)
E from epicenter
Cantel

Quetzaltenango, Guatemala.
133 km (83 mi)
E from epicenter
Tiquisate

Escuintla, Guatemala.
134 km (83 mi)
NE from epicenter
San Francisco El Alto

Totonicapán, Guatemala.
136 km (85 mi)
E from epicenter
Chicacao

Suchitepeque, Guatemala.
141 km (88 mi)
N from epicenter
Comalapa

Chiapas, Mexico.
141 km (88 mi)
E from epicenter
Totonicapán

Totonicapán, Guatemala.
142 km (88 mi)
NE from epicenter
Momostenango

Totonicapán, Guatemala.
143 km (89 mi)
E from epicenter
Nahualá

Sololá, Guatemala.
147 km (91 mi)
E from epicenter
Santiago Atitlán

Sololá, Guatemala.
152 km (94 mi)
NW from epicenter
Pijijiapan

Chiapas, Mexico.
153 km (95 mi)
NE from epicenter
Huehuetenango

Huehuetenango, Guatemala.
155 km (96 mi)
E from epicenter
Sololá

Sololá, Guatemala.
163 km (101 mi)
NE from epicenter
Jacaltenango

Huehuetenango, Guatemala.
167 km (104 mi)
E from epicenter
Chichicastenango

Quiché, Guatemala.
167 km (104 mi)
NE from epicenter
Santa Cruz del Quiché

Quiché, Guatemala.
169 km (105 mi)
E from epicenter
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa

Escuintla, Guatemala.
170 km (106 mi)
E from epicenter
La Gomera

Escuintla, Guatemala.
174 km (108 mi)
E from epicenter
Tecpán Guatemala

Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
191 km (119 mi)
E from epicenter
Chimaltenango

Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
194 km (121 mi)
E from epicenter
Escuintla

Escuintla, Guatemala.
196 km (122 mi)
E from epicenter
Ciudad Vieja

Sacatepéquez, Guatemala.
199 km (124 mi)
E from epicenter
Antigua Guatemala

Sacatepéquez, Guatemala.
204 km (127 mi)
N from epicenter
Comitán

Chiapas, Mexico.
210 km (130 mi)
E from epicenter
Amatitlán

Guatemala, Guatemala.
211 km (131 mi)
E from epicenter
San Juan Sacatepéquez

Guatemala, Guatemala.
214 km (133 mi)
E from epicenter
Mixco

Guatemala, Guatemala.
215 km (134 mi)
E from epicenter
Villa Nueva

Guatemala, Guatemala.
218 km (135 mi)
E from epicenter
Petapa

Guatemala, Guatemala.
221 km (137 mi)
E from epicenter
Villa Canales

Guatemala, Guatemala.
224 km (139 mi)
E from epicenter
Guatemala City

Guatemala, Guatemala.
226 km (140 mi)
E from epicenter
Chinautla

Guatemala, Guatemala.
240 km (149 mi)
E from epicenter
Barberena

Santa Rosa, Guatemala.
252 km (157 mi)
N from epicenter
San Cristóbal de las Casas

Chiapas, Mexico.
254 km (158 mi)
E from epicenter
Salamá

Baja Verapaz, Guatemala.
259 km (161 mi)
E from epicenter
Sanarate

El Progreso, Guatemala.
261 km (162 mi)
N from epicenter
Tuxtla

Chiapas, Mexico.
263 km (163 mi)
NE from epicenter
Cobán

Alta Verapaz, Guatemala.
280 km (174 mi)
E from epicenter
Jalapa

Jalapa, Guatemala.
290 km (180 mi)
E from epicenter
Jutiapa

Jutiapa, Guatemala.
Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.

This is likely an aftershock

Approximately 1 hr before this earthquake hit, a larger 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck 43 km (26 mi) west of this one. For that reason, we classify the Mag. 5.1 earthquake as an aftershock.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Classification Magnitude When Where
Foreshock M 4.1 3 days earlier
Jul 14, 2026 17:45 (Mexico City Time)
1.6 km (1 mi)
NE from Main Shock.
Foreshock M 4.1 2 days earlier
Jul 15, 2026 01:34 (Mexico City Time)
72 km (45 mi)
SW from Main Shock.
Foreshock M 3.6 2 days earlier
Jul 15, 2026 10:24 (Mexico City Time)
62 km (39 mi)
N from Main Shock.
Foreshock M 3.8 1 day earlier
Jul 16, 2026 02:05 (Mexico City Time)
64 km (39 mi)
NW from Main Shock.
Foreshock M 4.4 20 hrs earlier
Jul 16, 2026 13:02 (Mexico City Time)
75 km (47 mi)
NE from Main Shock.
Foreshock M 4.7 1 hr earlier
Jul 17, 2026 07:20 (Mexico City Time)
6 km (4 mi)
NW from Main Shock.
Main Shock M 7.3 Jul 17, 2026 08:48
(Mexico City Time)
-
Aftershock M 5.3 26 mins later
Jul 17, 2026 09:14 (Mexico City Time)
49 km (30 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.1 31 mins later
Jul 17, 2026 09:19 (Mexico City Time)
44 km (27 mi)
SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 6.0 31 mins later
Jul 17, 2026 09:20 (Mexico City Time)
44 km (27 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.0 42 mins later
Jul 17, 2026 09:30 (Mexico City Time)
29 km (18 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.1 1 hr later
Jul 17, 2026 09:57 (Mexico City Time)
20 km (12 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 4.9 1 hr later
Jul 17, 2026 10:00 (Mexico City Time)
35 km (22 mi)
SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock
This Earthquake
M 5.1 1 hr later
Jul 17, 2026 10:01 (Mexico City Time)
43 km (26 mi)
E from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 4.3 2 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 10:42 (Mexico City Time)
68 km (43 mi)
SW from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.1 2 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 11:03 (Mexico City Time)
31 km (19 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.1 2 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 11:15 (Mexico City Time)
29 km (18 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.0 3 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 11:23 (Mexico City Time)
46 km (28 mi)
SE from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 5.2 4 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 12:26 (Mexico City Time)
26 km (16 mi)
S from Main Shock.
Aftershock M 4.1 4 hrs later
Jul 17, 2026 13:17 (Mexico City Time)
46 km (28 mi)
SW from Main Shock.
Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.

More earthquakes coming?

The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.

In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.

Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).

Earthquakes like this happen often in the region

Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. In total, 125 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 29 days.

Low tsunami risk

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Factor Under Sea? MAG-6.5 or stronger? Shallow depth?
Explanation Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami.
MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes.
MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's.
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor.
This Earthquake This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. Not this earthquake.
This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 65 km (40 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 17/07/26 20:08 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.

  1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000t1ep
  2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260717_0000293
  3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
  4. Google Maps: Static API
  5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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