A powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck near the Mexican resort city of Acapulco late Tuesday night, killing one person and triggering widespread panic across the region. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake’s epicenter was located roughly 17 kilometers northeast of Acapulco, sending violent tremors rippling across the Pacific coast and deep into Mexico’s capital.
The sole confirmed fatality occurred in Coyuca de Benítez, where a falling concrete column crushed a resident. But the emotional toll was far greater: hundreds of people were left shaken, terrified, and in some cases suffering full nervous breakdowns as the ground violently convulsed beneath them.
In Mexico City, located hundreds of kilometers away, buildings swayed dramatically for nearly a full minute. Residents poured into the streets as windows rattled, alarms blared, and lights flickered across the sprawling metropolis.
Acapulco resident Sergio Flores described the terrifying moment:
“We heard a loud roar, the windows shook, things fell to the floor, the power went out, water spilled from the pool… people were screaming and panicking.” He said the only thing he could do was hold his wife tightly as the shaking intensified.
The city’s mayor, Adela Román, told Milenio Televisión that numerous residents suffered emotional collapses and that gas leaks and landslides were reported in multiple neighborhoods. Emergency crews have been deployed to assess damage and secure compromised areas.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said early reports indicate no major structural damage so far, though authorities continue to inspect critical infrastructure.
As aftershocks continue, officials urge residents to remain alert — and prepared for the possibility of more seismic activity in the hours ahead.