Mexico: A magnitude-6.3 offshore earthquake occurs in Gulf of California June 18 /update 1

Event

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake occurred in the Gulf of California off the southwestern Mexican coast at around 14:30 PDT on June 18. The epicenter was about 98 km (61 miles) east-southeast of La Rivera. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and strong shaking was probably felt near the epicenter, with light shaking felt throughout parts of southern Baja California Sur and eastern Sinaloa; some shaking was probably felt in parts of Jalisco. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is possible. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Moderate aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The earthquake has not triggered a tsunami warning.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.

Advice

Vacate multistory buildings if operating in affected areas until authorities confirm their structural integrity. Move away from the immediate coastline as a precaution due to the potential for tsunamis.