6.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern and Central Mexico, Causing Fatalities and Damage

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck southern and central Mexico on January 2, 2026, causing widespread alarm and resulting in at least two deaths. The quake's epicenter was near San Marcos in Guerrero state, close to Acapulco. The Mexican national seismological agency reported over 500 aftershocks following the quake. Structural damage included landslides and damage to a hospital in Chilpancingo, leading to patient evacuations.

One woman died when her home collapsed near the epicenter, and another person in Mexico City died from a medical emergency and a fall while evacuating. Residents and tourists in Mexico City and Acapulco evacuated buildings in panic. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s press briefing was interrupted but later resumed. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at a depth of 21.7 miles, near Rancho Viejo in Guerrero. Locals described loud rumbling and barking dogs as the quake hit, and some remain out of contact due to disrupted communications.