A powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake rattled the Eastern Caribbean on Saturday morning, sending tremors across several islands but causing no reported injuries, structural damage, or tsunami threat.
According to the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, the quake struck around 10:50 a.m. local time. Initial readings placed the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.5, but the United States Geological Survey later revised it to 6.0.
The epicenter was located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about 70 kilometres east-southeast of Codrington in Antigua and Barbuda and roughly 80 kilometres northeast of St. John’s. Seismologists said the quake occurred at a shallow depth of about 30 kilometres, increasing the likelihood that it would be widely felt across the region.
Residents in Antigua and Barbuda reported strong and lengthy shaking, with some grocery items falling from shelves. Moderate tremors were also felt in Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Puerto Rico, Anguilla, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Martinique and several other territories. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed there was no tsunami threat associated with the earthquake.
Regional authorities are continuing to monitor for aftershocks, with the UWI Seismic Research Centre warning that additional tremors may occur in the coming days as the Eastern Caribbean remains situated along the active tectonic boundary between the Caribbean and North American plates
