The western coast of Mexico has just been shaken by a major earthquake that struck near the resort city of Acapulco.

The quake struck at 8:47 p.m. Acapulco time (6:47 p.m. Vancouver time) today.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured it as a 7.0-magnitude quake that struck at a shallow depth of 12 kilometres (seven miles).

The epicentre was positioned four kilometres (three miles) northeast of Los Órganos de San Agustín, Mexico; 17 kilometres (11 miles) northwest of Acapulco de Juárez, Mexico; and 73 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of Chilpancingo, Mexico.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning Centre (which originally listed the quake as 7.4-magnitude before revising it to 7.1-magnitude) issued a warning that tsunami waves are possible for coastlines within 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the epicentre.

News reports state that the temblor was felt inland in the nation's capital, Mexico City, where buildings swayed but no damage has yet been reported.