Two earthquakes shake Puerto Vallarta

An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale jolted the coast of Jalisco this morning, a reminder of Mexico’s seismicity in September. The epicenter occurred 147 kilometers west of Cihuatlán, at a depth of 10 kilometers, and its impact was felt powerfully in the port city of Vallarta.

The tremor, which happened at 9:53 a.m. Central Mexican time, forced the evacuation of thousands of people from Puerto Vallarta’s supermarkets, offices, government buildings, and hotels. Despite the initial shock, authorities claim no major damage or deaths.

A new seismic tremor struck the Jalisco coast today at 10:36 a.m., about an hour after the first. This second quake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, struck 199 kilometers west of Cihuatlán. Unlike its predecessor, this aftershock was felt with greater force, putting the surrounding people on high alert.

No damage has been reported as of 11:15 am locla time.