In the North Pacific Ocean 94 kilometer from Tapachula, Mexico, a shallow and significant Magnitude 5.2 aftershock occurred around noon of Friday July 17th, 2026. Guatemala is also near its epicenter.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the North Pacific Ocean, 68 kilometers (42 mi) off the coast of Mexico, 94 kilometer southwest of Tapachula in Chiapas. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Jul 17, 2026 12:26 (Mexico City Time) - Jul 17, 2026 18:26 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 94 km SW of Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. Coordinates 14°22'17"N 92°55'60"W. |
| Map: | ![]() Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.2 Detected by 564 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.024 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very 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
Mexico and Guatemala are both located within 300km distance of the epicenter of the earthquake.
The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Tapachula in Chiapas, Mexico. Tapachula is located 94 kilometer (58 mi) southwest of the epicenter.
Major cities near this earthquake: Guatemala City is located 262 km to the east. Tapachula is located 94 km to the north-east. Tuxtla is located 266 km to the north.
A complete list of nearby places is included below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 94 km (58 mi) NE from epicenter |
Tapachula Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 99 km (62 mi) NE from epicenter |
Huixtla Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 108 km (67 mi) NE from epicenter |
Cacahoatán Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 118 km (73 mi) N from epicenter |
Mapastepec Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 121 km (75 mi) E from epicenter |
Coatepeque Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 133 km (83 mi) NE from epicenter |
Motozintla Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 135 km (84 mi) E from epicenter |
Colomba Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 136 km (85 mi) E from epicenter |
Retalhuleu Retalhuleu, Guatemala. |
| 136 km (85 mi) E from epicenter |
Nuevo San Carlos Retalhuleu, Guatemala. |
| 139 km (86 mi) NE from epicenter |
San Marcos San Marcos, Guatemala. |
| 142 km (88 mi) NE from epicenter |
San Pedro Sacatepéquez San Marcos, Guatemala. |
| 149 km (93 mi) E from epicenter |
El Palmar Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 149 km (93 mi) N from epicenter |
Pijijiapan Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 150 km (93 mi) NE from epicenter |
Comitancillo San Marcos, Guatemala. |
| 152 km (94 mi) E from epicenter |
Ostuncalco Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 155 km (96 mi) E from epicenter |
Mazatenango Suchitepeque, Guatemala. |
| 158 km (98 mi) E from epicenter |
La Esperanza Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 161 km (100 mi) E from epicenter |
Quetzaltenango Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 161 km (100 mi) E from epicenter |
San Pablo Jocopilas Suchitepeque, Guatemala. |
| 166 km (103 mi) E from epicenter |
Cantel Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 167 km (104 mi) NE from epicenter |
Comalapa Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 170 km (106 mi) E from epicenter |
Tiquisate Escuintla, Guatemala. |
| 173 km (107 mi) E from epicenter |
San Francisco El Alto Totonicapán, Guatemala. |
| 174 km (108 mi) E from epicenter |
Chicacao Suchitepeque, Guatemala. |
| 179 km (111 mi) E from epicenter |
Totonicapán Totonicapán, Guatemala. |
| 180 km (112 mi) NE from epicenter |
Momostenango Totonicapán, Guatemala. |
| 182 km (113 mi) E from epicenter |
Nahualá Sololá, Guatemala. |
| 186 km (116 mi) E from epicenter |
Santiago Atitlán Sololá, Guatemala. |
| 189 km (117 mi) NE from epicenter |
Huehuetenango Huehuetenango, Guatemala. |
| 194 km (121 mi) E from epicenter |
Sololá Sololá, Guatemala. |
| 195 km (121 mi) NE from epicenter |
Jacaltenango Huehuetenango, Guatemala. |
| 206 km (128 mi) E from epicenter |
Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa Escuintla, Guatemala. |
| 206 km (128 mi) E from epicenter |
Chichicastenango Quiché, Guatemala. |
| 210 km (130 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tonalá Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 210 km (130 mi) N from epicenter |
Villaflores Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 225 km (140 mi) N from epicenter |
Comitán Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 230 km (143 mi) E from epicenter |
Chimaltenango Chimaltenango, Guatemala. |
| 231 km (144 mi) E from epicenter |
Escuintla Escuintla, Guatemala. |
| 238 km (148 mi) E from epicenter |
Antigua Guatemala Sacatepéquez, Guatemala. |
| 248 km (154 mi) E from epicenter |
Amatitlán Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 249 km (155 mi) E from epicenter |
San Juan Sacatepéquez Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 252 km (157 mi) E from epicenter |
Mixco Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 253 km (157 mi) E from epicenter |
Villa Nueva Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 256 km (159 mi) E from epicenter |
Petapa Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 259 km (161 mi) E from epicenter |
Villa Canales Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 260 km (162 mi) N from epicenter |
Chiapa de Corzo Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 262 km (163 mi) E from epicenter |
Guatemala City Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 263 km (163 mi) E from epicenter |
Santa Catarina Pinula Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 264 km (164 mi) N from epicenter |
San Cristóbal de las Casas Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 264 km (164 mi) E from epicenter |
Chinautla Guatemala, Guatemala. |
| 266 km (165 mi) N from epicenter |
Tuxtla Chiapas, Mexico. |
| 277 km (172 mi) E from epicenter |
Barberena Santa Rosa, Guatemala. |
| 286 km (178 mi) NE from epicenter |
San Cristóbal Verapaz Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. |
| 293 km (182 mi) E from epicenter |
Salamá Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. |
| 298 km (185 mi) E from epicenter |
Sanarate El Progreso, Guatemala. |
This is likely an aftershock
This earthquake was an aftershock. A larger mag. 7.3 earthquake struck 26 km (16 mi) north in advance of this 5.2 earthquake around 4 hrs earlier.
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 | 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 This Earthquake |
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. |
More earthquakes coming?
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
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, 102 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 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 month.
Low tsunami risk
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 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 17/07/26 19:58 (). 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.

