Powerful 7.6-magnitude quake strikes Caribbean, triggers tsunami alerts
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Washington: A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean Sea, prompting tsunami warnings for multiple countries, according to US monitoring agencies.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km (6.21 miles) on Saturday evening (local time), with its epicenter located approximately 130 miles (209 km) north of Honduras, near the Cayman Islands.
Following the tremor, the US Tsunami Warning System issued an alert for the Caribbean Sea and northern Honduras. While no tsunami threat was reported for the US Atlantic or Gulf Coast, advisories were issued for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cautioned that "hazardous tsunami waves" could impact coastal areas within 620 miles (1,000 km) of the epicenter, including regions in Jamaica, Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Belize, Haiti, Panama, and Guatemala.
Subsequently, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3 meters above tide level along parts of Cuba's coastline, while Honduras and the Cayman Islands were expected to experience smaller waves of 0.3 to 1 meter.
Although initial tsunami threats were issued to more than a dozen nations, US agencies later canceled most warnings, noting that while the danger had subsided, "small sea level changes may still occur."
In response, several Caribbean nations, including Honduras, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and the Cayman Islands, issued evacuation warnings for coastal residents. The Cayman Islands government urged people near the shore to move inland as a precautionary measure.
Authorities across the affected regions continue to monitor the situation, with no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.
With IANS inputs