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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.
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.
Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.

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.
Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the 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

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 5.2. 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.

  1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000t1fk
  2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260717_0000332
  3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
  4. Google Maps: Static API
  5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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