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The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has said that a 7.6 magnitude earthquake has struck in the Caribbean southwest of the Cayman Islands.
It hit the area at 6.23 p.m. local time on Saturday. It had a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the USGS. The epicenter of the quake was 130 miles (209 kilometers) south-southwest of the capital of George Town in the Cayman Islands.
A Tsunami wasn’t expected, the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said. A Tsunami advisory was temporarily in effect for Puerto Rico and other islands in the area after the quake struck between the Cayman Islands and Honduras. Authorities warned of possible fluctuations in the sea levels and strong ocean currents, which could mean dangers for people on beaches and on boats, according to Fox Weather.
No damage has been reported so far. The fault line in the area is called the Cayman Trough and marks the dividing line between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates.
Aftershocks may go on for months or, at times, years following the main quake. According to USGS, such mini-earthquakes come after readjustments to the fault and are typically not as strong as the initial quake.
“All tsunami forecast water levels are below 1-foot with earliest arrival times in about 1 hour in Puerto Rico,” the National Weather Service said on X on 7.48 p.m. E.T. “A one to three-foot tsunami is still an impressive force of nature capable of strong and unusual currents, impacting boats, harbors, and piers. It’s not a surf wave. Stay away from the coast in the Advisory area.”
More follows…
