A 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico on Friday, disrupting a press conference held by President Claudia Sheinbaum at the National Palace. The tremor, which occurred at 7:58 a.m. local time, had its epicentre near San Marcos in Guerrero state, approximately 143 miles from Mexico City, according to the German Research Center for Geosciences.
The shallow earthquake, at a depth of 6.21 miles, prompted audible sirens during the live broadcast of the president's first tourism press conference of 2026. Sheinbaum calmly instructed everyone to evacuate the room, and later confirmed after speaking with Guerrero's governor that no serious damage had been reported in the region or in Mexico City.
Residents in Guerrero and surrounding areas reported feeling the tremor, with videos shared on social media capturing the event. In Mexico City, ceiling panels fell from Parking Lot A at Hospital la Raza, leading to evacuations. Local residents described their terror; Karen Gomez told AFP she woke up in fear after her mobile phone alert warned of a powerful earthquake. Another resident, Norma Ortega, who lives on the 10th floor, said she received a terrible fright.
Mexico City, built on soft lakebed soil, is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes originating from Guerrero. The region experienced a devastating 8.1-magnitude quake on 19 September 1985, which killed over 10,000 people and left up to 250,000 homeless, according to History.com.
