Une femme saute du troisième étage après une crise de nerfs causée par les tremblements de terre au Chiapas; elle présente de graves blessures

The Mexican state of Chiapas was hit by a powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale early Friday morning, according to reports from the National Seismological Service. The tremor struck at 8:48 a.m., approximately 135 kilometers southwest of Ciudad Hidalgo, a border town with Guatemala. Despite the magnitude of the quake, authorities confirmed that there were no fatalities or serious injuries reported. However, minor structural damage was noted in several municipalities along the border and in the Soconusco region. The governor of Chiapas, Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, led an emergency meeting with officials from the State Protection Civil system to assess the situation. During this session, national coordinator of Protection Civil, Laura Velázquez Alzúa, participated remotely. The meeting focused on evaluating the impact of the seismic activity and coordinating response efforts across all levels of government. In Tuxtla Gutiérrez and other cities, preventive evacuations of public and private buildings were carried out to ensure the safety of residents. In Tapachula, one of the hardest-hit areas, a woman of Haitian origin reportedly jumped from the third floor of a building after experiencing a nervous breakdown due to the earthquakes. According to authorities, she fell onto concrete ground, sustaining severe injuries. Paramedics and police responded promptly, and shortly after, another smaller tremor of magnitude 5.8 occurred, prompting further evacuation of the building’s occupants. The incidents underscored the psychological impact of the quakes on the population. The earthquake triggered a tsunami warning from the Navy's Tsunami Warning Center, which activated alerts for the southern coast of Mexico, particularly affecting the coasts of Chiapas and Oaxaca. This precaution was taken due to the potential for sea level changes following such large-scale seismic events. However, the warning was later canceled by the Navy, indicating that no immediate threat posed by the quake was detected. The State Protection Civil revealed that Chiapas does not currently have an active early warning system for earthquakes integrated into mobile phones, unlike neighboring states such as Oaxaca, where sensors are already installed. Secretary of Protection Civil, Mauricio Cordero, acknowledged that while the project to install these systems has been contracted, installation is set to begin in the coming month, with full implementation expected by year-end. Until then, residents will rely on traditional methods of awareness and response. Minor damages were reported in several towns, including fissures and cracks in buildings and religious structures. The administrative unit and theater in Tapachula, as well as two hospitals in Jitotol and Ostuacán, were affected. Some homes in Suchiate and Escuintla also showed signs of minor damage. The State Protection Civil conducted inspections across all municipalities through links with municipal protection systems, ensuring a thorough assessment of the situation. Throughout the day, the National Seismological Service recorded 39 aftershocks following the main shock. These continued to cause concern among residents and prompted ongoing monitoring by authorities. While the overall impact was described as minimal, the series of quakes highlighted the need for improved infrastructure and early warning capabilities in the region.