A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.6 in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday evening, in the north of Honduras and southwest of the Cayman Islands, triggered what the officials called a “threat of tsunami” for Cuba, Honduras and the Cayman islands.
The American geological survey said the earthquake occurred around 6:23 p.m., an epicenter with an epicenter about 129 miles southwest of George Town, the capital of the Cayman Islands and 372 miles west of Kingston, in Jamaica.
Usgs
Shortly after, the National Tsunami Warning Center American published a tsunami opinion for Puerto Rico, the American Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The opinion of these islands was canceled later.
However, a “threat of tsunami” continued Cuba, Honduras and the Cayman Islands, said the warning center.
“A threat of tsunami continues for Cuba, where a tsunami can reach 1 to 3 meters above the tide, and Honduras and the Cayman islands, where a tsunami can reach up to 0.3 to 1 meter at- above the tide “, the warning center wrote On social networks just before 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.
No alert has been issued for the continental United States
The local authorities of the Cayman and Puerto Rico islands have warned the residents to stay outside the water at the moment.
“Although an event with a high impact is not planned, as a safety measure, no one should be in the water until further notice. It is important to follow the official information and avoid the spread of rumors, “said the director of the seismic network of Puerto Rico, Ángel Vázquez.
There was no report of damage to the earthquake itself, said the Royal Cayman Police Service at CBS News.
At 8:30 p.m. Eastern time, at least 270 people said they had felt the earthquake for the USGS.