A significant earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck Mexico, coinciding with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s inaugural press briefing of the year.
The tremor, which occurred on Friday morning at approximately 7:58 a.m. local time, had its epicenter roughly 15 kilometers southwest of San Marcos in Guerrero state, close to the popular tourist destination Acapulco, according to the national seismological service.
This seismic event activated an alert in Mexico City, prompting hundreds of residents to evacuate their buildings.
As the tremors reverberated through the capital, social media footage depicted residents hurrying into the streets. Other videos showed buildings swaying and some debris falling to the ground.
Photographs also captured people waiting outside their apartment complexes and offices after being instructed to vacate to the streets.
The earthquake abruptly interrupted President Sheinbaum’s morning briefing, with a video shared on social media platform X showing the Mexican president and attendees evacuating as seismic alarms blared.
Ten minutes after the alert sounded, Sheinbaum resumed the press conference.
‘It appears there is no serious damage, but we will wait for the report from Guerrero’, she told members of the press.
People stand after leaving a building following an earthquake, Mexico City, Mexico, January 2, 2026
People wait on the street after evacuating following an earthquake, in Mexico City, Mexico, January 2, 2026
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum (C) reacts in a courtyard of the National Palace following an earthquake in Mexico City, Mexico, 02 January 2026, which resulted in her first press briefing of the year being interrupted
The Mexican leader added that she had made initial contact with the governor of Guerrero, Evelyn Salgado, who told her all protocols had already been activated, and that the extent of the earthquake was being reviewed.
In Acacapulco, tourists were also seen rushing into the streets when the shaking begn.
So far, no serious damage or casualties have been reported, but there are reports of power outages in some areas north of Mexico City.
Mexico’s National Electricity Commission is reviewing potential damage to electrical installations.
The earthquake in Mexico comes just two days after the US Geological Survey issued a ShakeAlert for California and Nevada after a 5.0 magnitude tremor struck.
Residents reported feeling shaking across California, western Nevada , and southern Oregon, with many sharing their experiences on social media.
One person wrote on X: ‘A 5.3-magnitude quake is a serious wake-up call for infrastructure resilience in NorCal.
‘While the ShakeAlert system is a lifesaver, we need to focus on long-term seismic safety and emergency preparedness.’
A woman wearing a bathrobe walks outside of a building, after an earthquake, in Mexico City, Mexico, January 2, 2026
A resident carrying his dogs rushes into the street following an earthquake in Mexico City, Mexico
Tourists wait on the roadside after hotels were evacuated following an earthquake in Acapulco, Mexico, January 2, 2026
Several Californians and Nevadans said the quake shook their homes.
The USGS detected at least six aftershocks, ranging from a 2.1 to 2.5 magnitude, since the larger one hit.
No damage or injuries were reported, according to the Susanville Police Department.
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
