On Tuesday afternoon, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and eastern Cuba — radiating to the Cayman Islands, parts of Mexico and Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed.
There are currently no reports of any deaths, injuries or major damages at any of the affected locations.
The initial quake began at around 2:10 p.m. local time in the Caribbean Sea, and was “roughly equidistant from the coasts of Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands,” the USGS said. They also reported that the tremor’s depth was relatively shallow at just 6.2 miles below the surface.
The federal agency initially estimated the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.3 on the Richter Scale but later determined it was a 7.7, according to bothUSA Todayand ABC.
ADALBERTO ROQUE/AFP via Getty
“We were all sitting and we felt the chairs move. We heard the noise of everything moving around,” Belkis Guerrero, a woman who works in Santiago, the largest city in eastern Cuba, told theAssociated Press.
She added, “It felt very strong but it doesn’t look like anything happened.”
Director of Cuba’s National Seismological Service Dr. Enrique Arango Arias reportedly told state media that there had been no serious damages or injuries reported, according to the outlet.
USGS
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center also initially issued a warning following the earthquake, but later said any tsunami threats had passed.
After the initial quake, a series of strong aftershocks followed — including one that measured at a magnitude 6.1.
The Cayman Islands appeared to be the hardest hit, with reports of some cracked roads and sewage exploding onto the streets. Andrew Jowett, a lawyer who works on Grand Cayman — the largest of the Cayman Islands — told ABC he didn’t see any signs of major infrastructure damage in the area, just a few broken windows, and cracks in buildings.
The earthquake did prompt some evacuations in Miami after it shook up a few high rises, according to the AP andUSA Today.
People evacuate office buildings in Miami.Joe Raedle/Getty
Joe Raedle/Getty
“It was crazy! I looked up and saw a light fixture swaying and I got out,” Robert Lee, who was working on the 25th floor of the Miami Tower in Downtown Miami at the time of the quake told ABC. He added that he could feel the building “swaying back and forth.”
This hasn’t been the first earthquake that the Caribbean has seen this month. The region near Puerto Rico has seen extensive seismic activity this month, which originally began with a 4.7 quake Dec. 28.
source: people.com
