A significant 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean Sea, prompting temporary tsunami warnings for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The National Tsunami Warning Center later canceled the advisory. Cuba was warned of potential tsunami waves, leading to beach evacuations, while no damage was reported after the earthquake.
On Saturday evening, a significant earthquake measuring 7.6 in magnitude occurred in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 130 miles southwest of Georgetown, Cayman Islands, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This event transpired shortly before 6:30 p.m. and prompted a temporary tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, inciting caution among residents regarding potential flooding and sea level hazards.
In response to the seismic event, local authorities advised residents of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to avoid coastal areas due to the risk of flooding and hazardous sea conditions. By 8:15 p.m., the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center (NTWC) indicated that the tsunami advisory had been rescinded, yet they warned that unusual currents could persist in the water.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) notified that tsunami wave heights could reach between 1 to 3 meters in some coastal regions of Cuba, advising precautions against potential flooding. The Haitian and Cayman Islands were forecasted to experience waves of 0.3m to 1m.
Cuba’s government took proactive measures, urging citizens to vacate beachfront areas for their safety. The NOAA cautioned that the actual wave amplitudes along coastlines could vary significantly from the predicted levels due to local geographic features and uncertainties in the data.
While the NTWC confirmed that there was no tsunami alert for the mainland United States, the USGS stated that the earthquake resulted from “strike slip faulting in the shallow crust near the boundary between the North America and Caribbean plates.”
Initial reports indicated that no damage occurred immediately following the earthquake, although residents were alerted to remain vigilant in the event of aftershocks or unusual sea behavior.
In summary, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean Sea, triggering tsunami advisories for nearby regions but subsequently canceled by authorities. Precautionary measures were implemented, particularly in Cuba, where potential tsunami waves were forecasted. Although no damage was reported, the event underscores the hazards posed by seismic activities in the region.
Original Source: cbs12.com
