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A tsunami warning has been issued after Guatemala was rocked by a huge earthquake, as people evacuate buildings and run for their lives. The ⁠United States ‌Geological Survey said a quake measuring 7.4 magnitude was recorded near the coast of Chiapas, Mexico.

It struck Puerto Madero, a port and fishing town roughly eight miles from the Guatemalan border, and measured a depth of 6.21 miles. There is now a tsunami threat to parts of the Pacific near where the earthquake struck, reports the Express.

A video shared on social media appears to show a large number of people evacuated from an office block following the earthquake, although there is no obvious visible damage.

The US Geological Survey said: "Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are adobe block with concrete bond beam and mud wall construction."

It also warned liquefaction could affect an extensive area and population.

Liquefaction is a process where a solid material, such as water-saturated soil or granular material, temporarily loses its strength and stiffness and behaves like a liquid.

This most commonly occurs during seismic events such as earthquakes, when ground shaking increases soil water pressure and forces sand grains apart.

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Guatemala is the most populous country in central America, sharing a border with Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador and Belize.

According to Reuters, the earthquake shook buildings In Guatemala City, and caused people to run on to the ‌street from their homes, ⁠according. Local media has also shown staff evacuating a government building as security protocols were initiated.

There are also reports the tremor was also felt in El ⁠Salvador.

Posting on social media Salomon Jara, governor of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, said ⁠the earthquake was felt with moderate intensity in the state's capital, but no serious damage was ⁠immediately reported.

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