Earthquake

Mexico: 1 dead and 12 injured in 6.5 magnitude earthquake, no serious damage

The tremors felt in the capital forced President Claudia Sheinbaum to suspend the daily press conference

2 January 2026

Residenti con i loro animali domestici si precipitano in strada dopo un terremoto a Città del Messico, Messico. (EPA/MARIO GUZMAN)

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

An earthquake tremor of magnitude 6.5 was registered in Mexico City. This was announced by the National Seismological Centre. The tremors felt in the capital forced President Claudia Sheinbaum to suspend her daily press conference.

The earthquake hit Mexico's capital and one of the most popular tourist destinations on the Pacific coast, killing at least one person but causing no serious damage.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck just before 8am near Acapulco, an important port and seaside resort.

It was felt as far as some 400 kilometres away, north of Mexico City, where alarms prompted people to take to the streets for safety, disrupting the quiet of a festive weekend.

A 60-year-old man died of his injuries after falling while escaping from his second-floor flat in the capital, local authorities reported. Twelve other people were injured, the city's mayor Clara Brugada wrote on social media.

The National Seismological Service of Mexico said that the epicentre of the earthquake was located 14 kilometres southwest of the city of San Marcos, in the state of Guerrero.

Sheinbaum said there were no immediate reports of serious damage. Mexico, located between five tectonic plates, is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. The centre of Mexico City is built on the muddy subsoil of what was once a lake bed, making it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes.

The most intense tremors usually originate off the state of Guerrero, on the Pacific coast. On 19 September 1985, an 8.1 magnitude earthquake devastated a large area of Mexico City, causing around 13,000 deaths, mostly in the city, according to official figures. In 2017, also on 19 September, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake killed 369 people, mostly in Mexico City.

Early warning systems, including smartphone apps, have been developed to alert citizens in the event of strong earthquakes and urge them to get to safety. Mexico City has also installed loudspeakers on lampposts to broadcast warnings.